


Firebird - Gallia

by ghikij



Series: Firebird [1]
Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Afterglow + Sayo, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/F, Knight Sayo, Outlaw Afterglow, Though it is really just an NPC's dirty mouth, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2020-02-27 13:26:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18739951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghikij/pseuds/ghikij
Summary: Lady Knight Sayo of Allemagne finds herself drugged and captured during a careless escort mission. Chained and imprisoned underground, she faces the very real possibility of her demise, her life ending as a forgettable knight. Yet, in the darkness, she finds a dying young woman with a will of steel.





	1. Gallia I - Where There is a Will

**Author's Note:**

> As the tags show, this is a medieval AU. Though set in a European-like geography, with vaguely medieval European culture, I have decided to keep the usual Japanese naming convention because I feel like it is such an integral part in Bang Dream Characters' interactions. So, please bear with me here. Aside from that, do enjoy this introduction chapter.

Sayo woke up to suffering.

As her consciousness returned, she found herself in a dark room drowning in stagnant air. The only source of light was the thinly flaming lamp hanging on a dirt wall, flickering precariously to pitch blackness at every lick of a whip.

“I don’t know anything!”

_Crack!_

“Aaah!”

“Still not going to talk?”

_Wapeesh!_

“S-stop! P-please!”

A young woman. A girl was being whipped.

Even with blurry vision, Sayo searched the vicinity, her knightly instincts driving her to move and intervene. Yet all she saw was a purple haze veined with red. She feebly shifted her position, only to find that she was constrained with heavy chains and her even heavier armor. Worse, her limbs barely obeyed her commands. They were sluggish and numb, while her head felt denser than an anvil.

_Wzzzz tsk!_

A man’s gravelly chuckle enflamed Sayo’s ears. He was enjoying tormenting his victim. “Talk.”

The girl’s sobs echoed mercilessly in the room. “I… don’t know. P-please…”

“Oh, you little liar. You will tell me where the Red Wolf is even if I must whip the skin off your back!” The man’s voice changed from angry to malicious, “Or even better… while I fuck you senseless.”

Sayo looked up with glazed eyes, enraged yet feeling frustratingly helpless due to her insubordinate limbs. She saw shapes nearby, a man—the fiend coiling his whip around his fist, and the crying girl, chained and bleeding, propped up against cell bars. She clung onto them for dear life with thin, pale fingers. A peasant, perhaps? She couldn’t make out more than that as her mind clouded so quickly that the only image that stayed with her was the girl’s tearful brown eyes.

* * *

 

_“So, is everything set?”_

_Sayo paused from securing the leather straps on her horse and turned around to find Imai Lisa approaching with her long and wavy chestnut hair billowing softly in the breeze. The other knight was in full ceremonial regalia of silks with crests of honor adorning a red sash that hugged her light armor. She looked every bit like the epitome of a decorated warrior. Sayo, on the other hand, was in full battle gear of plate and leather after having been given an assignment to escort precious cargo from the southwest._

_“Everything is moving according to schedule.”_

_Lisa’s smile gave way to a wistful sigh. “I want to go, you know, if only to spend some time outside the castle.”_

_Sayo gave her friend a doubtful look and returned to minding her horse. “This task is hardly exciting. All I will be doing is watch over a carriage and look intimidating.”_

_“Which you do quite well, Sayo.”_

_Unsure of how to respond to Lisa’s mild-mannered teasing, she cleared her throat and moved on, “It involves treasures from what I understand.”_

_“Gold, gemstones, and artifacts from what the courier declared in the throne room. His Majesty looked pleased enough but Yukina was hardly paying attention.”_

_“Of course,” Sayo smirked despite herself. In these years in which she had served the stoic princess, she had learned that Yukina took very little interest in material treasures. These foreign dignitaries might have more success in impressing her if they sent music compositions and instruments._

_Or cats._

_“Well, you be careful out there,” Lisa held her arms akimbo when Sayo mounted her horse. “Don’t think I’m doubting you or anything, but I worry about you all. You know that. Besides, this is the first time you’re being deployed on your own for a while.” Sayo gave her a slightly withering look then, although she should have known that Lisa was quite immune to it. She just continued to list inane things that Sayo should be mindful of. The blue knight supposed that it brought her comfort in its own way, especially seeing the familiar manner Lisa rests her forearm over the hilt of her sword, where the rhodonite on its pommel glimmered under the morning sun._

_“I won’t be alone. And your place is by the lady’s side, always.” Sayo twisted her wrist and made her horse turn towards the gate, where a dozen of her men had already ridden out bearing her standard; a teal rose on Allemagne’s indigo._

_Lisa smiled at that, “You’re right as always, Sayo. So, we’ll expect you back within a fortnight?”_

_“Perhaps sooner if the weather holds.” She secured her longsword upon her saddle, its turquoise pommel perfectly polished.  She then gave Lisa a salute, a mailed fist to the chest, before nudging her mount to follow the convoy._

_As they exited the castle compound, Sayo looked around the courtyard, hoping to see Ako and Rinko before she rode off, but they weren’t there. Instead of the two sorceresses, a small purplish bat flapped its wings as fast as it could. Sayo ducked the last second after realizing the familiar was intent on tackling her face. It chirped, in a way only a bat could, and dropped a small roll of parchment on her lap. With the bat chattering overhead, Sayo read the message written within, a messy scrawl that could only be from Ako’s hand wishing her good luck and a safe return._

_In spite of her usual austerity, Sayo allowed herself to smile._

* * *

 

When came she to again, it was a quieter and much darker. The lamp was absent, and so was the man with the whip. The air was cooler too, reminding her of those bleak weeks she spent wandering alone through in Allemange’s forests with only the moon and nightingales for company. Sayo inhaled deeply, noting her clearer mind but also noticing the unbearable stench of piss and dried blood that clung onto the very floor of this place. It made her cough and heave, which was quite disgraceful for a hardened knight. She should be hard and unyielding no matter where she was located and however dire the situation was. And yet, it was her own shortcomings that had landed her here in the first place, wasn’t it?

Sayo grimaced and tasted bile on her tongue. It was bitterer than she remembered.

“You’re awake.” A familiar voice spoke weakly not too far away from her. Despite the lack of light, Sayo still managed to make out the girl’s form curled up in a corner. Her face was barely visible in these conditions, but Sayo noted that it was hollow and forlorn like a ghost. In her hands, the girl held a set of beads which she fiddled with her bony fingers. A rosary?

“Are you alright?”

Sayo wanted to return her question, remembering the horrid sight she witnessed earlier. Besides, she was certain that the brunette was far worse off than she was despite how sick she felt. But her throat was dry and the only noise that came out was a groan. At least she was now able to move her arms and legs somewhat unlike before when they were about as responsive as a dead logs. Slowly, very slowly, Sayo pushed herself upwards, if only to relieve the parts of her that she had been lying on for who knew how long. The effort rewarded her with an agonizing fall as her wobbly limbs were as clumsy as a newborn foal’s. Bruises and other injuries flared to life and left Sayo moaning excruciatingly on the floor.

“D-don’t move,” the girl’s brittle voice told her. “Or they’ll know.”

“W-who?” Sayo croaked as she tried to figure out which parts of her did not hurt.

“Them. The ones keeping us here.” Her companion supplied but not without a wince, her rasping voice belying her dry throat.

“Why are you even here? What would those men want from you?” The knight groaned as she laid there on her back, unable to do much else. Sayo could think of a few reasons why she was being kept here but this girl?

“They’re after my family.”

Sayo swallowed and furrowed her brow. More and more, this band of degenerates elicited her ire. Taking a seemingly gentle girl like this from her family and then torturing her was horrible enough, but to also relentlessly pursue her kin on top of all that was intolerable. She looked at the brunette once again, feeling pity and anger at the same time. The girl was filthy and she looked half dead, barely able to keep her head up. Despite that, she kept murmuring to herself as she fingered the beads between her fingers.

“What are you doing?” Sayo asked, desperate to keep her mind from sinking back into the depths of unconsciousness.

“Praying.”

Miserable and in pain, the knight couldn’t hold back a scoff. There were blessings in her life that she was thankful of God for, but at this very moment, Sayo found prayer to be rather useless. She would much rather use what energy she had to find a way to escape.

“It’s all I have left,” the brunette added as a whisper, making the knight instantly feel guilty.

“Forgive me, I didn’t mean to…” Sayo drew in air deep in her lungs in order to clear her hazy mind and deter it from focusing too much on her thigh where the dart had punctured into her flesh. It felt inflamed, like a terrible insect bite, and she did not appreciate it adding even more to the discomfort she was suffering.

“I-it’s… alright.”

Sayo looked over towards her companion in this pigsty, “Tell me. What is your name?”

Dull brown eyes returned her gaze, “Hazawa Tsugu… Tsugumi.” The way she said it almost sounded glad, resigned, as if she found a bit of solace in sharing her identity being this close to purgatory.

“Hazawa…san” Sayo repeated and allowed defiance to take root in her belly. “I swear. I will get you out of here. I…” For she was a knight. She might have failed in many things in her life, but she had never ever turned her back on this one vow. Even if it was the last thing she would do, she would fight for the weak and defenseless.

For now, however, the poison ushered her back into darkness, back to sordid memories of her less honorable days.

* * *

 

_“Onee-chan!” A short blade clattered when it hit the cobblestones. It was over. She was over, defeated by her younger twin in front of the whole court. Shame weighed down so heavily that Sayo had half the mind to take Hina’s sword and drive it through her own belly. This was her reality now, in which she would never amount to anything but less than her sister._

_“Onee-chan, are you alright? I-I didn’t mean—“_

_Sayo pressed a hand over the wound on the back of her left wrist to staunch the bleeding. Hina had been too fast, too accurate, that she had no option but shield herself with own arm. Now, she was bleeding, and as per the conditions of their duel, she had lost._

_Sayo glared at her twin, “Don’t touch me. You’ve won. Surely, that’s enough. No, it wouldn’t be, would it? You’re just going to steal everything from me. Even this… ”_

_Hina’s identical gaze widened in terror. “No! I-I’m sorry—I… L-let me help!”_

_“I said do not touch me!”_

_Those were the last words she said to her baby sister before abandoning it all._

* * *

 

This time, Sayo was woken up by boisterous and cruel laughter. The man with a scraggly beard was back and he was enjoying a pint of mead with two other reprobates at the table opposite to where she was being held. The lamp was on full blaze this time, giving her a better view of her surroundings. From the dirt walls all around, Sayo deduced that she was being held in a cave or some sort of warren. She examined the only door that led outside. It was dark, so either it was nighttime or they were in the cave much deeper than she anticipated.

The man grabbed his cup and threw his hand of cards onto a messy pile in between his mates. “Ey! How long do you think boss would make me stay down here? These wenches are more dead than not. I’d rather be riding out there looking for that red bitch.”

One of the other two, a skinny man with a pinched in, weasel-like face flipped the next card arranged on the table. “There’s no money in that red bitch, only revenge. Bad business, that. Better you keep an eye on the golden goose.”

 The third man seemed to agree and threw in a couple more coins into the pot of bets. He grumbled as he scratched his stubby chin, seemingly uncaring for the conversation.

Scraggly Beard didn’t look too pleased as he stood up. He drank deeply from his wooden cup and the sickening yellow liquid of his beverage spilled out the sides of his mouth and onto is stained shirt.

What a distasteful wretch.

“You heard that, huh?” He angrily wobbled towards Tsugumi’s cell and kicked the bars, startling the poor thing awake. “We’re gonna to rip your little gang apart. And then...” He chuckled sleazily, so inebriated that Sayo could hear the alcohol from his throat. “…I’ll have so much fun with you.”

Sayo expected her to jump up and attempt to defend herself but she didn’t even move. No, she couldn’t. Her eyes were filled with dread but she was too weak. All she managed was a shaky lunge at the bars to pull herself upright, to curl her legs and shield her body somehow. This caused the threadbare sheet she had been using as a blanket to fall off her shoulders, which allowed Sayo to see the gruesome state of her back. Dozens of red welts had been drawn there by a sharp whip and some of them still wept blood. The others were festering, blackened around the edges and dotted with white droplets of puss.

The sight sickened Sayo and filled her with rage.

“Stay away from her.” She warned, but her voice was a long way from its usual sharpness.

She rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself up more surely this time. With her arms able to support her weight, she then attempted to stand up by pulling her once uncooperative legs underneath. Invigorated and filled with purpose, she managed a formidable stance—or as formidable as she could muster with metal shackles around her wrists—and slammed the heavy chains that connected her shackles onto the cell bars.

Scraggly Beard paused from unlocking Tsugumi’s cell door and let the keys rattle together on his belt. He looked halfway into the mead barrel already, face red and eyes barely focused, but he was still an armed man. A short sword and a hunting knife hung upon his belt. “You actually woke up. The great Lady Sayo! Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” He spat and laughed like a bellowing hog. “Fuck me, we thought that idiot dipped that dart in too long and that you’d never wake. Thought you’d forever be nothing more than a breathing sack on the floor. Hah! How we wanted to see the reaction on that icy cunt’s face when she sees what she bought with her precious jewels!”

Sayo ground her teeth together and struck the bars with her shackle, creating a thunderbolt of noise. “Release me and I swear I will have you spared unlike the rest of your sorry group of miscreants. Not only robbing a royal convoy but also kidnapping an anointed knight to place her for ransom? You will all lose your heads for this.”

Scraggly Beard spat again, turned around and poured himself another cup. He drank and added more stains to his disgusting shirt. “You think I’d be scared of you? Bwahaha! You’re funny, lady. You’re in no position to threaten us here.”

Sayo fought down a snarl but could not quite prevent her fists from tightening until they were white. “And where is here?”

“Somewhere no one of your ilk will find us. Gallia.”

The unexpected answer dampened the fires of Sayo’s rage. Gallia? She supposed that asking the how was not the only issue here but the when. Even if they were located near the border, these thugs must have dragged her unconscious body for weeks to get here, possibly re-administering the drug that kept her asleep several times. If so, news of the attack must have reached the capital already. Was Rinko scrying for her whereabouts?

“You will regret this.” The knight growled lowly, promising great pain to this smug bastard.

“Oh, the only things I regret are running out of that medicine and being forbidden to fuck you while you’re asleep. I told them you wouldn’t wake anymore and all. You may be unresponsive but I’m sure your cunt is still warm, ahaha! I’ve always wanted to know how it feels like to fuck a noblewoman, let alone an abomination like you. A Lady Knight? Bwahaha! Useless!”

Sayo breathed deeply and did her best to contain her temper but it had been stretched so thinly by this ingrate. She struck at the cell bars using the metal shackles and its heavy chain so strongly that Scraggly Beard looked startled despite his inebriated state. “I take my words back,” she struck her confines again, uncaring for the sharp pain on her left wrist, where the shackle bitten into an old wound. “I will kill you.”

Scraggly Beard snorted. “I liked you so much better when you’re unconscious. Look, lady, you’re unharmed because you’re a prized pony. Just with you running your mouth like that, I would’ve had you whipped like that stubborn little wench over there. But now that you’re awake, I’d like to see you break. That girl has lasted despite having been starved for nearly two weeks. I wonder if your tough talk is just that, talk, if I don’t feed you for as long.”

This man’s pride in hurting the defenseless only fueled the flames within the knight. Eyeing the cell’s door, she wondered if she could kick it down so she would be able to punish this fiend and avenge the brown-haired girl who was most likely dying in the next cell. It was rusted anyway so perhaps a well-aimed strike would set her free. And if nothing else, it would teach this man that she was not quite at the stage to be sitting idly when insulted. So, Sayo quickly took a couple of steps back and raised her booted foot and slammed it hard against the cell door. The metal creaked but it held strong.

“Why you little—“

_Whoosh—BOOM!_

Sayo had been bracing herself for the man to storm inside her cell to punish her. Getting him inside would mean she would have access to the keys on his belt and a chance at freedom. However, she was wholly unprepared for the loud explosion that came right after. The sound was like that of a thunder god shouting a battle cry from the heavens and it was followed by the trembling of the earth itself. Pebbles from the cave’s ceiling rained down on them.

Scraggly Beard cursed aloud after having ducked instinctively, “What the fuck was that?”

Sayo would like to know the same thing. She had hoped for a rescue but what was going on was definitely not it.

“Outside!” The weasel-faced man screeched after he found his legs again.  

“Where is she?!” An impossibly loud female was shouting beyond the door, her voice full of rage and it thrummed with a familiar power. It shook the cave once more.

_Whzzooo! BANG!_

“S-she’s… here…” Tsugumi spoke up feebly, and tried to pull herself up in vain. Too weak, she didn’t even have the strength to keep her arm raised. However, hope gave her some energy which she used to try and call out to her savior. “Ran-chan! I… I’m here!”

“Fuck!” Scraggly Beard unsheathed his sword and hurried towards the door of the cave, where a terrifyingly powerful gust of wind rushed in and sent him careening back towards Sayo’s cell. Wasting no time, the knight looped the thick chains binding her wrists around the man’s neck and pulled with all her weight. She ignored the sickly gurgles and hacking noises he made as she choked him to death, and thought only of surviving this ordeal. Though she certainly wanted to see him beheaded, garroting him still proved satisfying.

Sayo let the lifeless body slide down to the ground and reached over the ring of keys on the man’s belt. With it, she quickly opened her cell while the remaining guards were unsteady on their feet after yet another quake raged. She searched for the appropriate key to free herself from the shackles but found none small enough.

“What the fuck did you do?!” The weasel-faced man screeched when he noticed his friend blue and purple and Sayo free from her cell. The knight did not waste another moment in striking his mug with the chain, sending him crashing onto the table they played cards on. As coins and cards rained down, Sayo swiftly picked up Scraggly Beard’s short sword and tested it in her hand.

“I always make good with my promises,” Sayo said coldly, rolling her stiff shoulder as she watched her opponents draw their own weapons. Encumbered by the shackles around her wrists and the chain that weighed it down, she fought clumsily. Her movements were sluggish, as she was still inebriated by the poison, but Sayo was not about to let these degenerates get the better of her twice.

The weasel-faced man was the noisier of the two but he was the less skilled with a blade, whipping it side to side and thrusting out randomly to catch her unawares like a typical thief. Fool. Armored and with a sword in hand, Sayo was somewhat back in her element. Poison she could not fight head-on but this, this was a different story altogether. She parried his thrust and struck through the joint of his elbow. He screamed when she cut him, but the blade was dull and the cut was not clean. Sayo had to slit his throat to silence him.

The quiet one proved more dangerous. He opted for a dagger and a far more focused mind. Even when the earth shook beneath them, he kept his eyes on her, gauging and circling, waiting for her to make the first strike. Sayo was usually patient enough to stare down her opponent so that they would make the first mistake, but not today. She must take advantage of this chaos. So, she closed in on him in two broad steps and swung her sword. It was slower than she hoped due to her weakness and the extra weight on her arms, and thus the quiet bandit parried the blade aside and sliced at her arm. Sayo managed to side step quickly enough to avoid getting gravely injured but the dagger still licked her skin near the edge of her gauntlet.

He didn’t stop there either and continued to deliver quick strikes to her arms and legs. She did her best to evade and counterattack but she still came out of it with several cuts, making her flinch and zapping whatever strength she managed to gather. Panting, Sayo lowered her stance and shifted her sword grip just a bit having been reminded just how much she hated dagger users. The man had the audacity to grin maliciously at her now, thinking that her reposed stance was a sign of weakness. He twirled his dagger and charged at her, off-hand forward and dagger pulled back for a killing blow. Sayo grounded herself and counted heartbeats. One, two… and just as the man was about to stab her throat, she lunged and buried the sword halfway in his gut.

Sayo exhaled after the man fell dead on the ground, troubled that for a moment it was Hina she saw running at her with a blade drawn and not this grimy cutthroat. She had put that in the past and has not thought about it in years. Yet here it was.

“S-Sayo-san?”

Sayo immediately turned to Tsugumi. She was trying to stand despite her injuries so Sayo hurried to open the cell door and help her out. She knew there was no way the brunette could walk out of here. She was too weak and too hurt.

“Hazawa-san, please wait here. I must make sure the exit is safe before we head outside.” Despite her pride, Sayo also knew that she won’t be able to fight while carrying her.

Tsugumi shook her head and squeezed her hand, making Sayo’s heart sink at how feeble and cold her grip was. “Friends…ou-outside. The quakes…that’s them. They’re here.”

She then swayed and without warning, her knees buckled from under her. Sayo caught her soundly enough, but her arm tightened too near her whiplashes that the resulting pain made Tsugumi cry out loudly.

“A-ah!”

It made panic rise up from Sayo’s gut.

She immediately lowered the brunette and kept her hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“I-it’s okay…” It took several breaths before Tsugumi could quell the pain down enough to speak. She reached up and touched Sayo’s hand. Her fingers were deathly cold even though the rest of her burned. Fever had truly set in her body “Sayo-san, please. Tell them… I’m here. They’ll help. I’ll only slow you down.”

Grimly, Sayo nodded and made sure Tsugumi was in a safe place before extracting the sword from the bandit’s belly and heading out the door. The corridor beyond was dark, lit only by the light at the end of the tunnel. There, the noise from the outside was even louder, so much so, that Sayo felt the very impact of each blow, each explosion. She thought back on Rinko, the most talented sorceress she knew. Was this also arcane in nature? Each blast was like thunder. Its sound echoed mightily in this hallway and it made every cell in her body tremble. No, she deduced, this was not arcane. This was something else, something closer to her liege’s power.

“Tsugu!!!” A sharp voice sliced through the whirlpool of echoes before Sayo saw a silhouette of a woman running towards her. She was tall, lean with fierce auburn hair that trailed behind her like a flaming mane. She wore a short, olive drab tunic that covered her shoulders but it did not reach her waist, leaving her mid-section vulnerably exposed in a declaration of prowess. A worn leather belt around her waist supported a pair of tattered trousers and a few pouches. That person must be one of the friends Tsugumi mentioned. Another dirt-poor peasant who managed to orchestrate explosion somehow.

Just who are these people?

“Oi! You there!” The woman called out but did not stop her aggressive pace. “Get outta my way!”

“Wait!” Sayo barked but the redhead only bull-rushed and raised one of her fists. On them, the knight saw the glint of steel knuckles and raised her sword in defense. This triggered her opponent to use the metal gauntlets that covered her forearms to swat away the blade and put distance between them. That pause only lasted but a heartbeat and a single clang of the sword on a nearby rock. This woman was fast, blindingly so, and she covered great distances with one stride due to her agility. Sayo barely had the opportunity to raise her arms in defense before a solid punch clashed against her own gauntlet.

“Please listen to me!” Sayo emphasized as she pushed back with what strength remained in her.

“No, you listen to me!” the redhead snarled out her words, sounding wild and feral and angry. “You dare to take her away. Tsugu… Tsugu doesn’t even fight! You fucking cowards, she was going to be a nun! How dare you? How dare you! Where is she?!”

What followed was a barrage of blows that Sayo had never anticipated. She had fought some of the most fearsome warriors in both Albion and Allemagne, but she had never faced anyone so fierce and powerful before. This woman only had two fists, but Sayo felt like she was being struck everywhere all the same time. She managed to divert a couple of punches away but she always ended up getting punished with a blow to the chest or the abdomen that left her breathless. Her opponent hit like a war hammer with every strike and Sayo was glad she still had her armor on. Without it, she would have been a broken pile of bones.

“Ingrate,” the knight grunted before she grabbed the wildwoman by the collar of her tunic and kneed her in the stomach. When her opponent recovered almost immediately, Sayo quickly followed up with a whip of her chain to the other woman’s jaw, which blessedly sent the redhead far enough to give Sayo some breathing room. Yet, it was still frightening how fast her adversary recovered from what should’ve been a stunning blow. The redhead simply flipped back on her feet, wolfishly grinned, and licked the blood from her lips.

“I’m not your enemy!” Sayo yelled. Her body was shaking in pain and exhaustion, and her vision was beginning to blur once again. The poison. Opportunistic concoction, it was. It waited for her strain herself first before gripping her consciousness again.

“Anyone who isn’t us is an enemy.”

A chill settled in the pit of her stomach and she raised her arms once more knowing what was to come. What Sayo did not expect, however, was sudden influx of magic that burst forth from the redhead’s right fist. It was the same, Sayo realized in a split second, this feeling of thrumming energy was almost identical to Yukina’s royal magic, to her Voice.

But how?

The knight did not have a moment to even wrap that round her mind as she crossed her arms over her head in anticipation of the blow, whatever it might be. The Voice was the most powerful type of magic in the land and they were notoriously unpredictable. Unable to evade, Sayo could only hope to endure. At that moment, she dearly missed her sword, for upon the turquoise on its pommel, her liege’s powers were bestowed.

The blow was like a whirlwind. Sayo didn’t feel the impact as much as she was taken by it. It was as if wind exploded right where the metals clashed and sent her flying back and through the door behind her, landing in a painful heap of bleeding cuts and battered flesh. She groaned, feeling the world whirl and twirl beneath her.

“S…Sayo-san…”

To her left was Tsugumi, right where she secured her under the table to prevent any falling debris from hitting her sensitive back. Evidently, the young woman didn’t have the strength to remain seated like earlier. She was hunched over, barely holding herself up on all fours. Her face was white as chalk now, her lips a pasty gray. So, in spite of her own hurts, Sayo worried and pitied her. She reached over towards the companion who endured this hellhole alongside her.

“Hazawa-san… forgive me, I…” she winced midsentence, the pain was just too much. “Misunderstanding…”

“Tsugu! Are you in here?!” The redhead barreled in and over Sayo as if she was a corpse already. She might as well be. Her innards certainly felt like jelly.

“T-Tomoe-chan…?”

“Tsugu? Fuck!” This woman, Tomoe, she flipped the table to get to her friend. Sayo watched as the barbarian suddenly transformed into a frantic mess, unsure of how handle the much weakened brunette. “It’s okay,” she spoke in shaky breaths as she examines just how badly off Tsugumi was, “It’s okay, Tsugu, I got you. Just—shit what have they done to you?!”

“I-I’m fine,” Tsugumi sobbed into the redhead’s arms, clinging as tightly as she could. “Y-you’re…here…now.”

“Tsugu, you hang on, okay? You better hang on. Everything will be just fine!” There were sobs in that assertive tone, an unmistakable shakiness.

“Tomoe! Did you find her?”

“Himari! Over here! Tsugu—she’s not okay. We have to get her out of here. Now!”

Three other sets of boots arrived, each bloodier than the last. Sayo peered up and found three other women, one strawberry-blonde, another silver, and lastly a black-haired one who still oozed power in her tone.

“Tsugu, can you hear me? It’s me, Himari. See? We got you, okay—oh my god just—Tsugu…”

“I-I’m fine—“

“No, you’re not!” The blonde one, Himari, cried and hugged Tsugumi carefully. “We’re so sorry we weren’t there.”

“Ran…” The silver-haired one spoke in a much colder tone than first two, clearly holding back a frigid sort of fury within. The person she was talking to, however, was quite the opposite. The black-haired woman was smoldering in rage. Even in Sayo’s weakened state, she could feel it, the thrum of the Voice within the quietest of the woman’s growls.

“They will pay, Moca.” Ran swore. “Every single one of them.”

Though glad that the poor brunette was finally reunited with people who clearly cared for her, Sayo was nearing the end of her reserves. Her body felt heavy once more, and the purple haze was beginning to cloud her vision. Was she going to die here? Pitiful. Though, it was fitting wasn’t it?

She could only imagine Hina’s reaction if she finds out.

“W-wait…everyone… he-help, Sayo-san. S-she saved me.”

At the sound of her name, Sayo returned her gaze at the reunited group and saw Tsugumi in Tomoe’s arms reaching out towards her. Even in her state, she managed to look at Sayo with worry.

“Wait, Tsugu, she’s with you?” At least the redheaded barbarian had the decency to sound regretful.

“Tomochin, you beat the shit out of her, didn’t you?”

“I-I didn’t know!”

“Enough!” Ran barked, “I’ll take Tsugumi. We need to leave.”

Sayo couldn’t really understand the noise they were making anymore. She was blinking in and out of consciousness, her mind desperate to find reprieve from all the pain and exhaustion she felt. With her charge safe, her battle urges have shut down, leaving her with nothing but the weight of lead on each limb and liquid fire in her veins. Her eyes fluttered close and with one last exhale, the knight was dead to the world.


	2. Gallia II - Our Thread of Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, Sayo wakes up in unfamiliar territory. Bruised and battered, she tries to make sense of her situation and the people who have taken her even further away from her home. She begins to learn them and the bond they share with Tsugumi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret being unable to finish this chapter sooner since it's less action and more set-up. Unfortunately, I had some serious real life events happen and I couldn't even make myself write for a month. Hopefully, I can invest more time in writing this story now. Thank you for those who came back to continue reading. And as always, feedback is greatly appreciated.

Sayo jolted awake gasping for breath. Her fever dream was extinguished as quickly as the sun burns through mist, leaving her disoriented and wary of her surroundings. She expected to be inside that terrible cave again even though she so wished to be back in Allemagne with her friends. That was where she belonged. It was the only place where she belonged.

Yet, what she saw was entirely unexpected. For one, there was green everywhere. Trees surrounded and shaded her from the sun with their wide canopies, while shrubs and other vegetation formed a natural hedge around the clearing. The second feature that Sayo noticed was the spread of several wagons and tents that seem to encircle a communal fire pit. A strong flame was licking the bottom of a black iron pot there, with a kettle sitting right next to the embers. The scent of food cooking took her attention next. Having nothing to eat for as long as she could clearly remember, the knight’s stomach growled at the smell of stew wafting over towards her.

Her mouth watered, but her hunger diminished when she discovered that she was secured at the waist to a young oak tree by a thick length of rope. Her wrists were also tied snuggly tied together.

Just when did her luck turn so sour?

Worse, her armor and mail were gone. Her gauntlets and greaves were missing too, and even the spurs on her boots was nowhere to be found. All that was left was her blue doublet, grey trousers, and riding boots. First kidnapped, now robbed?

“Look who’s awake. Tomochin~ the dead log has risen~”

Sayo nearly jumped out of her skin at the drawling voice that seemed to have come out of nowhere. Looking up, she found the silver-haired young woman who had been part of the party that rescued Tsugumi from the bandit camp. She stared at Sayo after calling for a comrade, her blue gaze curious but also suspicious. Or perhaps that was simply Sayo’s own distrust of the situation, for the other woman was quite talented at keeping her expression stoic.

A familiar redhead exited a nearby tent made of tanned animal hide. She was as wild as Sayo remembered when they fought, but she also seemed different somehow, less aggressive and more somber. Still, Sayo’s body throbbed in pain at the mere sight of her former adversary.

“Thanks for keeping an eye on her, Moca.”

The shorter woman shrugged, her heavy hooded cloak barely rising due to her smaller frame. “It’s not like she’s going anywhere.”

“Why am I here?” The knight demanded when the tall woman approached.

Tomoe crossed her arms and regarded her sternly. “Because Tsugu asked.”

Sayo blinked and looked away, remembering the tormented brown-haired girl who prayed to God despite all hopelessness. “Hazawa-san…” she swallowed thickly, almost too afraid to ask, “How is she?”

She saw Tomoe’s jaw clench and heard her sigh, “Still fighting for her life.”

“I’m sorry,” Sayo murmured, unsure of what to say. As a knight, she felt guilty for not being able to spare Tsugumi even one lick of the whip, let alone the other atrocities that might have happened without her knowledge. “I should’ve—“

“Shut it,” the redhead interrupted her scathingly. “She’s not yours to protect.”

That was true enough. However, shielding the helpless was also a knight’s duty. Even if she didn’t know her name, Sayo was be honor-bound to protect her. She felt Moca’s cool eyes on her skin, the other woman’s expression unreadable beyond the drooping, sleepy-like quality of her features. So instead of insisting that she should have done more as a knight, Sayo asked, “What happens to me now?”

“I don’t know,” Tomoe responded without missing a beat, irritation clearly coloring her tone. “We have no idea. Tsugu insisted that we don’t leave you in that cave, so we hauled you all the way home. What happens next will be all up to you.”

At that Sayo frowned. She disliked the roundabout answer to her question. “I’m hardly in the position to make decisions while bound like this. I’ve told you once before that I’m not your enemy, so why am I still tied up?”

“It’s more for your own protection than anything else.” Tomoe gestured that Sayo raise her bound wrists and began to untie the knot. “The last thing we need is for you to do something stupid like sneak away without us knowing. You won’t last a night out there. Moca has these parts of the forest booby trapped.”

Sayo rubbed her wrists once they were free and noticed the bandages wrapped around her forearms where she had been cut by that knife-wielding bandit from the cave.

“I’ll be honest with you. We can’t offer you much. Hell, we shouldn’t stay here long.” Tomoe told her as she rounded the tree’s trunk and loosened the rope around Sayo’s middle. “But… you saved Tsugu—or at least that’s what she told us— so we’ll give you a bit of food and shade to rest under until you can figure out what you want to do.”

Sayo pulled herself up to her feet, which proved much harder than she anticipated given her cramped legs. Though still rather disoriented about her location and the nature of her companions, the knight knew one thing. She must return to Allemagne. She told as much to Tomoe as the latter rolled the rope around a muscular arm.

“Allemagne?” The redhead exchanged looks with her silver-haired friend. “That’s a long way away. Weeks on horseback, probably months on foot. We’re in the heart of Gallia.”

Given that information, Sayo’s felt her head hurting immediately. “Then I must begin my journey as soon as possible.”

“You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?” Tomoe sighed in exasperation. “We won’t stop you if that’s what you want to do, but Tsugu would have my head if I let you leave like that. I may be able to guide you through Moca’s traps but a bear or a pack of wolves would make short work of you looking like that.”

Sayo reluctantly agreed with her observations. She still felt rather weak, despite the poison having ran its course. She had hunted bear with Lisa once before, but even at their peak strength and wielding hunting spears, the beast still gave them a challenge. She hated to think how she would handle a pack of ravenous wolves in her state.

Taking a deep breath and humbling herself, Sayo respectfully nodded, “Then I thank you for letting me stay. Tomoe-san, was it? I heard Hazawa-san call out to you. I’m Sayo of Allemagne.”

The redhead exchanged glances with her friend again, chuckled, and held out a hand, “Yeah, I’m Tomoe. And that’s Moca.”

Sayo accepted the handshake and nodded towards the shorter woman, “An honor.”

“Wow, Tomochin. She’s really one of those stoic Allemand knights, isn’t she? So cool~” Moca’s sing-song drawl didn’t seem to be a way of speaking that she did on purpose as Sayo first thought. Instead of trying to sound irritating, Moca spoke in leisure, unhurried and unconcerned. Even the way she dressed reflected the carefree way she carried herself. Underneath her faded gray cloak was a tattered white shirt that had been mended repeatedly, giving it a patchy appearance. The state of her lower garments were similar, but instead of wearing a pair of working trousers like Tomoe, Moca wore knee-length breeches that were also frayed on certain areas and have been mended many times. To protect her lower legs, she had wrapped bandages all the way down to her boots.

Sayo had been exposed to some levels of poverty before, but never quite like this.

“She smells like crap though.”

“Moca!”

The knight winced, as she was very aware of how unpresentable she was. Given the situation, however, she scarcely had any chances to dwell on it.

“Well, you are smelling really ripe there, Sayo-san.” Tomoe scratched the back of her head sheepishly. “As odd as it is for us forest rascals to say, you need to get cleaned up.”

“I’ll go check on Hii-chan then~”

“Yeah, you do that, Moca. Tell me if she needs anything. We’ll be by the river.” Tomoe went to the tent she exited earlier and emerged with a small bundle of garments, a washcloth and a towel. When she returned, she deposited all of the items in Sayo’s arms and gestured with a jerk of her head. “Follow me.”

Though still unsteady on her feet, the knight found the walk to the river cathartic for her overstimulated mind. It also loosened the atmosphere between Sayo and Tomoe, allowing her to learn more about this small band of outcasts living rough in the woods. They were a family of five, Tomoe told her, and they have lived like this since they were small kids, victims of some violence back when Gallia was even worse than it was now. The country remained predominantly lawless because of a weak ruler, a corrupted government and an unstable sovereignty but they made do. They didn’t need anyone else. They hunted the forests, foraged for their food, and traded with nearby villages. They changed locations at every turn of the moon too, living as free as the wildlife. Sayo thought the lifestyle was brutal and she couldn’t imagine Tsugumi living that way, but Tomoe sounded content, proud even, as she told her tale.

“What about you? I guess we kind of know where you’re from and what you do, but how in the world did you end up in that pig’s company?”

Sayo assumed that Tomoe was referring to the band of bandits that captured her. “I was escorting a convoy for my liege. It hasn’t even been a week since we rendezvoused when we were ambushed on the road. They erected a wall of vines at a narrow stretch and spooked the horses with flaming arrows.” She remembered that part clearly enough. She managed to kill a handful of them too while her men were being shot down by archers perched on trees. One of her lieutenants cut through the vine wall to let the carriage pass, only to get trampled by the startled draft horses that pulled it.

Tomoe rubbed her chin in thought. “Not bad. Sounds sloppy though. You said they poisoned you?”

“Yes, I was darted and then I lost consciousness soon after. I suppose they knew who I was from the start—and what do you mean by ‘sloppy’?”

The redhead flashed her an arrogant grin, “Had that been us, you bucketheads wouldn’t have even noticed.”

Sayo threw her an indignant look and opened her mouth in challenge but her companion quickly pointed to a nearby clearing. “Save the scolding for later, milady,” Tomoe nudged her forward. “Just a bit more now.”

The sheer beauty of the riverside cooled Sayo’s temper. It was almost as if the forest opened up to allow the sun make a spectacle of the river. The water was as clear as glass, flowing over smooth rocks as it wended eastward downstream. Fishes swam to and fro, their big mouths gaping for food, while just a bit downriver, forest critters visited the banks for a drink. A stag bravely held her gaze, before lowering its head once more for water.

“Huh… brave one,” Tomoe crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re in the king’s woods. Hunters aren’t allowed in here without the king’s approval so as you can see the deer aren’t very used to being hunted. I might track that one later though.”

Sayo immediately looked at her perplexingly. “The king’s woods? You’d be executed if you’re caught in here.”

“ _If_ we get caught. We’re not the only ones who call these woods home. There are others, namely the group of thugs that messed you up, yeah? You nobles can’t really see trees hiding in a forest, so I say this is one of the safest places around, especially while we wait for Tsugu for recover.”

Sayo had nothing to say to that. As a knight, she had been preoccupied with many other things, and as a royal guard, even more so. She considered patrolling forests below her and better left to rangers who knew the land better. She would also have considered what Tomoe and her friends were doing was wrong and punishable under the law. By staying here, they were trespassing, and by hunting the king’s deer, they were poaching. They would have been hanged in Allemagne for committing such acts.

She told Tomoe as much, but the redhead only scoffed. “Unless you weasel us out, no one cares about what we can and cannot do. And if you are thinking it, I can and will snap your neck before you even utter a word, got it? Don’t mistake our mercy for friendship. You’re only here because of Tsugu. We wouldn’t have any problems leaving you in that cave to die or get recaptured. Now, go get your business done. I have a lot of other things to do.”

So, that had been a sour subject, one that Sayo greatly disagreed with. She wished to press her opinion, to argue that what they were doing was unlawful and wrong. However, she simply did not have the fortitude, let alone the strength to come into blows with the powerful redhead. Not yet.

To take her mind off her rather unfortunate circumstance, Sayo returned her gaze on the river and its calm flow. Its sights and sounds reminded her of one of her earliest memories. Her mother used to take her and Hina on short trips by the river outside Albion’s castle walls, where she would contently sit on the grass and write poems and songs while they picked flowers and climbed trees. Mostly, Sayo recalled her twin being as rambunctious as ever, but she could not forget how much her mother loved the water. It was fitting, she supposed, for mother was named after the sea. They would stay by the riverside for hours until the sun sets or until father comes to bring them home. Sometimes, he would let her sit on his shoulder, asking her what she and Hina had been up to or if they gave their tutors any trouble. Those were the only days Sayo remembered her father being happy. After a terrible fever took mother away, father went with her as well and was replaced by his austere shell called Lord Hikawa.

Sayo frowned as she recalled the years after, all the hardships and struggles, and the endless disappointment in father’s eyes. Though, of course, that disappointment was always directed at her and never Hina. Hina was his sunshine, while Sayo was nothing more than a pale shadow that could not hope to compare, not with her twin and especially not with her mother.

Swallowing yet another bitter thought, Sayo began to undress by the riverbank behind some large boulders. She took off her boots first, allowing her feet to breathe for the first time in weeks. Then, she peeled off her soiled doublet and untied her trousers, disgusted at how grimy they were and how her own stench polluted the sweet breeze that flowed with the river. She felt filthy, both inside and out, and she could not wait to soak in the water for a while.

She was about to shed her undergarments when she felt Tomoe’s gaze on her. The redhead had been thoughtfully quiet after her outburst and busied herself in preparing what looked like a fishing spear. Now, she was staring. Her cool turquoise eyes examined Sayo intensely from head to toe, focusing a moment too long over her stomach and naked thigh where the dart had pierced her.

“Do you mind?” Sayo instinctively covered her chest despite the thorns in her tone. She disliked being watched like some sort of exotic animal.

“Nope,” the bandit mischievously smirked as if mocking her. “Do you?”

Self-consciousness and irritation colored Sayo’s face red, but she was proud woman and would not let this brigand make her cower. “Yes, I do mind, Tomoe-san. You said I’m not your prisoner, so at least I expect to be treated with some respect. If you mean to fish, do it upstream.”

Tomoe snorted and said, “Fine, whatever. Just holler if you slip or something.” She took one last pass on Sayo’s figure before shrugging and marching upstream like she was told, with the fishing spear resting on her broad shoulder.

Left alone, Sayo let out a sigh. She refused to acknowledge how the other woman’s stare made her feel self-conscious. However, given how unpresentable and foul she was, Sayo could not stomach another human being so close. Once she was certain that Tomoe was a comfortable distance away, Sayo shed the last of her clothing and sifted through the small bundle of fabrics that the redhead to handed to her earlier. A worn pair of beige trousers was neatly folded under a white linen tunic. A thin vest accompanied the ensemble, light blue and patched around the pockets and hems. Bundled with the clothes was a washcloth and a towel. There was also a small pouch of gritty, powdered soap. It was unscented, unlike the luxurious Castille soap the Allemagne royal family liked to use. In fact, it seemed like it was mixed with wood ash to extend its effectiveness in removing grease. The knight frowned. _Beggars can’t be choosers._

She removed the remaining garments on her person, starting with the bandages wrapped around her arms. It revealed a web of scratches, slashes and scrapes from previous encounters, half-healed and red and angry. They looked clean though, and thankfully, free of fester. The larger wounds have been stitched, crudely so, but it was effective in allowing her skin to sew itself back together again. Seeing them, however, caused Sayo examine the rest of her injuries. Her torso was a patchwork of blue, black and green splotches, especially the area where Tomoe had struck her with a fearsome fist, while her legs looked no different. The flesh where the dart had bitten into was still inflamed like a warm, reddish ring painted onto her skin. It was getting better, she could tell, but it still ached and itched terribly.

Sayo opted not to wade into the water like she had wanted, fearing that fester might come with it. Instead, she cleaned herself slowly and deliberately with the washcloth. The sensation of cool water on her skin rejuvenated her, and with every careful stroke, she felt cleaner. She dipped the cloth in the crystal clear river and wrung it over head, sighing as the droplets seeped into her greasy hair and onto her scalp.

 _Lisa would like it here_ , Sayo thought as she worked some of the powdered soap into her dirty hair. Her friend loved being outdoors. It didn’t matter whether it was a simple outing in the city or a full day’s ride outside the castle walls, Lisa thrived on being outside and under the sun. Sayo could hardly blame her, as Allemagne’s titanic castle was ancient and lacked windows in most areas. Worse, it always seemed cold in that place, the walls, the air, everything. So whenever she got an opportunity to go out and soak in the sunshine, Lisa was happy.

It took her a long time to realize it, but now Sayo could understand why Yukina calls Lisa a sun-kissed rhodonite.

The thought of her friends planted a sense of urgency in her heart. She did not know just how long she had been gone. It had been weeks, for sure, but how many? She was told that she was in the heart of Gallia but how far was that? She had never been in this part of the country, and what she knew of it were from the tomes in Albion that her childhood tutor told her to read. Gallia was vast, stretching from the fierce narrow strait that separated it from Albion to the mighty southern mountains that bordered the warring kingdoms of Hispania. And if the maps were to be believed, it could very well fit Albion and all its isles within its realm. The thought of it made her head spin.

Was she too far away? Rinko should have located her by now. The Ebon Witch’s prowess was unmatched in Allemagne, and her special ability of True Sight had stayed the hands of many warlords who sought to challenge the Minatos for the crown. Who would dare fight an enemy who could see you anywhere you are? Sayo knew some of Rinko’s limitations, but she was not sure if range was one of them. Perhaps it was, otherwise the faithful sorceress would have searched for her already. And if it wasn’t of her own volition, then surely it would be on Lisa’s behest.

The washcloth was gray by the time Sayo finished cleaning herself. Despite her best efforts, the task caused some of her wounds to reopen and they wept faint red lines as water mixed with blood. The worst of it was the slash upon her left arm, which was by far the deepest of her wounds. Small droplets of deep garnet oozed where the gaps of the crude stitches gaped. Sayo stared at it as she was momentarily transported back to when she first suffered an injury there, when her twin stole her dreams with a single stroke of her dagger.

Sayo thought she already put that behind her, a past she had thrown aside. And yet there it was at the forefront of her mind, its every detail happening with such vivid clarity that Sayo felt anger bubble up once again.

“Hey! Are you done yet?” Tomoe’s yell mercifully snapped her back into the present and reminded her that though she was clean, she was far from presentable.

“G-give me a moment to get dressed!” Sayo hastily retorted and stumbled lethargically behind the large boulder that hopefully shielded her form Tomoe’s view. Quickly, she pulled on the trousers and the tunic, only to find that both garments were a bit too long for her. Fortunately, it was easily remedied with a few folds.

“We need to go back,” said Tomoe impatiently. “I have a camp to feed.”

“I’m done,” Sayo gathered her dirty clothes as neatly as possible and emerged from her hiding place.

“Huh, looking like a half-polished kettle. Well, that’s about the best you can do this far from civilization. C’mon. With our cook out of sorts, those girls would starve to death if I don’t whip something up.” Indeed, Tomoe carried a stringer of fat trout on one hand. Sayo was impressed at how quickly she caught them.

“Out of sorts?” The knight asked, though she quickly regretted the question when she heard the answer.

“Tsugu. She’s always the one taking care of us,” Tomoe responded despondently and made her way back to the woods. “She’s the only one who bothered to learn how to cook a proper meal. Without her, we’d probably eat like feral dogs.”

Sayo averted her eyes once more due to both guilt and pity. “We didn’t talk much in the cave. I was barely lucid. However, at the very least, I know her will is strong. I remember her praying.”

“Tsugu prays a lot every single day. I’m not one of the faithful, not anymore, but Tsugu hung onto her faith. I don’t know why or how she does it…” the redhead trailed off, her mind obviously somewhere far away. “But yeah, she is strong. The strongest one of us. She kept us together many times, y’know?”

“Why Hazawa-san?” Sayo blurted under her breath. Clearly, the other four were delinquents that invited trouble. She didn’t know Tsugumi much at all but she had a difficult time imagining her having any misgivings with anyone.

“And why not her?” Tomoe stopped, her shoulders tense. She looked over at Sayo with a furious frown, her eyes vivid like burning ice. “When you really, really, want to hurt someone, you go for what they care about the most. We’re stupid. We left her alone. It was only supposed to be a day. One day so we’d have the whole crew on a job.” Her voice trembled in anger. She was so furious that Sayo respectfully averted her gaze, worried she might invite the redhead’s wrath by looking at her in the eye.

Tomoe inhaled deeply to temper her fury. “They’ll pay, that I guarantee. But for right now, Tsugu is all that matters.”

Sayo nodded empathically. If any one of her own makeshift family was attacked, she would certainly crave revenge.

They spent the rest of the journey back in silence, both too lost in their own thoughts to talk. The knight was beginning to understand Tomoe though. She was the protector of this group, the person who looked after the rest, and the one who probably cared the most.

“Himari!” Tomoe hollered as they entered camp. She instructed Sayo to simply dump her soiled clothes on a pile behind the tanned leather tent, but also warned her that it might take a while before it gets mended as it was Tsugumi who did all that. Stubbornly, the knight refused and folded her garments by the tree where she had been tied to earlier. Much to her surprise, a bit of canvas was stretched over the trunk and tied to a nearby sapling, which offered some reprieve from both sun and mist. Underneath it was an old bedroll with holes and frayed edges. The knight didn’t know any of the others yet but she was thankful for the courtesy.

A short young woman with pink hair came out of a different tent and took Sayo by surprise. For a moment, she thought she was looking at the Queen of Albion, whose hair color was as pink as petals. However, a quick examination revealed a paler coloration. The woman’s eyes were swollen as if she had been crying not too long ago and her hair was disheveled, carelessly tied to low twin tails. Overall, she looked haggard and exhausted.

“Oh, Himari,” Tomoe’s voice took on a very different tone, one of sympathy and genuine affection, as she gently rubbed her friend’s back. “How is she?”

Himari sniffled and wiped her eyes, “Not good. I did what I could with her wounds but she has so many, Tomoe, and her fever is getting worse. She’s burning. I want to help her but I-I don’t know what to do anymore.”

The taller redhead gave her a tight, one-armed hug and patted her head. Sayo could clearly see the watery sheen on her eyes though. “L-Let’s just be there for her right now, okay? Tsugu is tough, yeah? And she makes the best remedies. You’ve given her some right?”

Himari nodded and pulled away. “I wish I can give her more but she hasn’t woken up at all. O-oh!”

“Yeah, the log woke up earlier. I took her by the river to get cleaned up so we won’t have the smell of dead rat in camp. Sayo-san, this is Himari. Himari, Sayo-san of Allemagne.”

The knight bristled at the rude comment but nodded her head at the pink-haired woman with the utmost courtesy. “It is my pleasure to meet you. Were you the one who took care of my wounds as well?”

Himari blinked, unused to such impeccable manners. “Well, yes. I didn’t think you’d wake so soon though. Tomoe dented your armor with that punch. We were sure your innards were mush already.”

“Hey, I was trying to get to Tsugu and she was on my way. What was I supposed to do? Politely ask her to step aside?” Tomoe scowled and rounded Himari towards an aged oak workbench where a couple of cleavers and knives hung by their handles on the side. She then busied herself with gutting the trout she caught earlier.

Sayo shook her head. Her whole body still hurt so much because of that blow and her stomach was still an unsettling patch of blue. “Regardless, I would like to thank you for caring for me, Himari-san.”

“N-no problem. Um… actually I would like to speak with you. Why don’t we sit by the fire?”

The knight obediently followed the shorter woman, who sat on a stump by the embers. She watched her ladle in a thin brown stew into a couple of wooden bowls, one of which she handed over to Sayo after gesturing for her to sit on a stool nearby. “I’m sure you’re starving,” said Himari as she held a spoon over to the knight. “It’s not much, but it’ll fill you up well enough. Um, Sayo-san, I’d like ask some questions about your time in the cave.”

“Thank you.” Sayo wanted to try a spoonful of the stew because hunger was painfully twisting her stomach, but at the other woman’s sincere request, she lowered the bowl of food on her lap. “I’ll try my best to answer.”

Himari nodded and wrung her hands agitatedly. “Tsugu… she has a lot of injuries. Far too many. She was beaten and whipped, that much is obvious. Most of her wounds are on her back but there are also bruises on her legs.” She swallowed thickly. “I… I found wounds on her thighs a-and… I need to know. Did they…? Did those animals…?”

Sayo looked away as soon as she noticed tears pooling on Himari’s eyelids.

“I need to know, Sayo-san. I-I want to make sure Tsugu doesn’t have to bear the burden of an unwanted child after everything—“

“I truly apologize but I cannot answer that,” Sayo interrupted just before Himari’s voice cracked. “I was unconscious for most of it, and when I was awake, everything was a haze.” Indeed, the most she remembered during those short lucid moments were Tsugumi’s crying and her brown eyes. “However, when I was able to stay awake longer, the jailer kept threatening her that he would. He kept saying that if Hazawa-san didn’t talk, he’d… do it. Wouldn’t that imply that he did not?”

Himari let out a sigh of relief, to which Sayo shook her head. “Please understand, however, that that was only one of the jailers. I don’t want to give you false hopes, only what I was able to observe. Hazawa-san was already gravely injured when I first came to. She was being whipped and it was her cries that woke me. I don’t know what happened before then.”

Sayo’s painful tale was cut short by the loud sound of Tomoe’s cleaver hacking off a fish’s head. “Those fucking assholes!”

“…I am sorry.” Despite her calmness, Sayo was also filled with anger. Tsugumi was a gentle girl from everything she had heard so far and she was innocent of whatever her makeshift family had been doing. She did not deserve what happened. But more than that, the knight was angry at herself for being useless. She was tired of being so weak.

“I have a question of my own, Sayo-san.” A different, deeper, voice prompted Sayo to look up and she was met with the most intense red eyes she had ever seen. Ako’s had been bright and cheerful despite being the same hue, but these ones were fiercer, with flame just simmering underneath. Standing just behind her was the fifth and final member of this band, a woman with a lock of hair dyed a blazing red. What she lacked in stature, she made up with an impassioned air, weighing her surroundings with a palpable pressure. Like Moca from earlier, this woman was wearing a cloak, although instead of the drab gray, it was worn black. Beneath it, she wore a tattered black shirt that exposed her middle and an equally short jacket. Around her waist was a leather belt upon which hung a long curved dagger.

“Ran!” Himari straightened but the black-haired newcomer silenced her by tossing a couple of dead hares she must have procured by hunting outside of camp.

“Yes?” Sayo asked evenly. The situation became tense when Ran appeared, which cued her to approach the other woman with the appropriate amount of respect.

“Did Tsugumi talk?”

Sayo blinked in confusion, “Pardon?”

“I asked if Tsugumi said anything about us,” Ran repeated impatiently, her voice rumbling in repressed fury.

“No, she begged for them to stop but she never mentioned any of you.”

All of the sudden, there it was, the familiar feeling of the arcane. It spread from this woman named Ran and enveloped the whole camp in a blink of an eye. The black-haired woman’s crimson eyes blazed, glowing dimly as she turned around and stalked towards the tent where Tsugumi was. As she walked, she removed the black cloak from her shoulders and hung it on a wooden pole by the tent before ducking inside.

“Sorry about that…” Himari spoke quietly, poking at her bowl of food. “Ran has never been good at expressing her thoughts. She cares a lot for Tsugu though. She’s been inconsolable when we found out Tsugu as taken.”

“We all were,” Tomoe joined them and stabbed the skewered trout she had caught earlier around the fire to cook.

“It’s understandable,” Sayo muttered and ate a spoonful of the stew. It was bland and a little greasy from what tasted like boar meat but it warmed her belly. She finished the bowl quickly, having been famished for so long. “Thank you, once again. It may not be much right now, but I’ll do what I can to help around here as you have so graciously allowed me to stay.”

Tomoe and Himari looked at each other as they chewed their own food.

Tomoe swallowed her mouthful and smirked, “Heh, oh you’ll have to pull your weight around here. If you don’t work, you don’t eat.”

Sayo nodded. That was only fair. Despite her still weakened constitution, she was prepared to work for her meals until she has fully recovered.

Himari spoke up next, “But worry about that tomorrow. You’ve paid for your food today.”

“I have?”

“Yup,” Moca hopped over the log adjacent to the stool Sayo was sitting at and ladled herself a share of the food. The knight was unnerved at how quietly the silver-haired woman moved. She didn’t even sense her coming up from behind at all. “More than paid for it~ Now, if only Tomochin didn’t destroy the chestpiece.”

“I did not destroy it! Shut up already.” Tomoe pouted and stuffed her mouth with grilled fish.

“I don’t understand…” Sayo furrowed her brows as she nursed a cup of weak ale that Himari had so kindly given to her.

“Oh~ They didn’t tell you?” Moca smiled slowly. Almost everything she did seemed to be at a slower pace than everyone else and that unsettled Sayo in ways she could not explain. “We sold your armor.”

“You… what?” Sayo was still so weak and exhausted that she never found a good enough reason to raise her voice all day. However, this was definitely a good reason. “You do not have the right to sell someone else’s property!”

Moca shrugged, “Well from where we’re sitting, you’re just a step above being our captive. Besides~ you won’t need that here and it was cracked anyway~”

“Moca, stop it!” Himari chastised her friend and turned to Sayo. “It’s stealing, we know. That’s…err… what we do. But please understand that we needed the money. Our last job botched and—and…”

“We needed to buy Tsugu some medicine,” Tomoe calmly explained before throwing back half a cup of ale. “Tsugu makes her own medicines, but they’re usually for scrapes and scratches. She needs more potent stuff for her fever and we simply don’t have the cash for it so we had Moca sell off your armor in the nearby town.”

Sayo’s fury was instantly doused by that. “If that was the case, you could have just asked,” she retorted, though with less venom than earlier. “What about my sword? Please tell me you have not sold my sword.”

Tomoe looked at Moca then. “Not yet~”

Sayo let out a sigh. “I ask that you don’t. The armor I can live without, but my sword… my sword is my identity. I would appreciate it if it was returned to me.”

“Sorry~,” Moca raised her hands and shook her head. “Moca-chan doesn’t have a say about that~ permission must come from the boss.”

“The boss?”

Tomoe sighed and poured herself another cup of ale. “She means Ran. Ran doesn’t talk much and can be exasperatingly mind-boggling sometimes but we follow her. She hasn’t led us astray… yet.”

Himari chuckled lightly, “Oh, c’mon, we all know it’s really Tsugu who’s in-charge.”

“Damn right.” The redhead stared at her cup and drank all its contents in one go, “I miss her already.”

“Yeah~ nothing is right without Tsugu being tsugurrific.”

Sensing the mood had become gloomy once more, Sayo politely excused herself to the latrine. After having shared a meal with them, she could at least sense that they were inherently good and caring people despite their way of life, unlike those who captured her and treated her like an animal to be locked in a cage. She felt sorrow with them and she sincerely wished that Tsugumi would survive the ordeal. More than ever, Sayo wished Lisa was there. The paladin was trained in the medical arts and practiced holy magic. She healed soldiers during battle and Sayo had been on the receiving end of that kindness on many occasions. Tsugumi’s injuries would be easy for Lisa to heal.

Alas, Lisa was not here. And if Sayo’s battered armor could buy Tsugumi even one more day, then she didn’t mind so much.

The sky was the color of fire when Sayo returned to her tree. For a moment, she thought it ridiculous that she instinctively returned to where she had been confined before but she could not bear to ask for more from this small band of misfits. Tomoe was feeding logs to the campfire while Himari busied herself with washing the pots and plates. Moca had disappeared again like the ghost she seemed to be. Sayo surmised that she was the general look-out of the group and thus took first watch.

The knight leaned her back against the tree trunk, feeling itchy in her borrowed clothes. Sleep was catching up on her again despite her tenacity. She wished to plan, to prepare, and to find a way home. She did not belong here, amongst strangers. Yet… her eyes were drooping shut and her head felt heavy.

“Hey,” Tomoe nudged her leg with a boot, prompting her to shake the sleepiness away. “Drink this.”

Sayo took the wooden cup from the redhead’s hand. It was warm. Inside was a dark liquid, almost black and unsettling but it smells comforting, thick and bitter. “What’s this?”

“Coffee. It might not be the best choice to drink before going to bed but Himari insisted you get some. Tsugu mixed some herbs with that batch and usually it does wonders to us.”

“Thank you…” Sayo had coffee before, when Lisa brewed some from the gifts given by the southern desert lords. It had been bitter and sour at the same time. She recalled Yukina’s face contorting in disgust when she tasted it, and Ako all but spitting it out in an instant. Rinko paled along with Sayo, their tongues burnt and offended by the taste. Lisa laughed at her failure that day, saying she had never brewed coffee until then. In comparison, the cup in her hand smelled less acrid and gave off an earthier aroma. It actually enticed her to take a sip. When she did, she tasted nothing of what she expected it to taste. It was smooth and a little herby, and there was a subtle sweetness to its bitterness.

It rejuvenated her.

“Thank you,” Sayo repeated and took another sip.

Tomoe crossed her arms and looked at Tsugumi’s tent, “You can thank her later when she’s better.”

Sayo followed her gaze and watched the tent’s flap fluttering with the chilly breeze. It was but a moment, but she saw Ran sitting by a cot holding Tsugumi’s hand.

_I hope I can._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. 
> 
> Remember, feedback is food for a writer's soul. Be kind and feed me.


	3. Gallia III - No matter how long, I'll exist here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Days have passed and Sayo is still in no condition to even attempt to return to Allemagne. So, she has resigned to her new reality that she must live alongside this small ragtag group of outlaws. However, just as she is connecting with one of them, tragedy strikes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How long has it been? 
> 
> I apologize for the very slow updates. I'm a slow writer with a full-time job so chapters will take a long time. Hopefully, readers would stay with me for the ride. Thank you to returning readers and welcome to the new ones. Enjoy!

The morning smelled like rain. The dampness in the air was palpable to the tongue, bringing with it the taste of wet grass and moist wood. The sensation was unique yet familiar, and it lured Sayo away from her slumber. For a moment, she was in Allemagne again watching Ako in her dark purple velvet gathering herbs and roots for her concoctions while Lisa stood by her golden-maned palfrey complaining about the humidity. “It makes my hair harder to deal with,” she groused and proceeded to braid her unruly locks into submission. 

“Yes! I found some!” Ako whooped not too far away, waving a handful of dirty roots aloft like trophies. 

“That was easy enough,” Lisa tilted her head to the side like a curious cat, a gesture that attracted quite a few gentlemen’s attention at court. She joined the sorceress, her boots squelching as she walked over moist forest litter. “Let me see, Ako.”

“You said that I just need to dry these and then brew it with some tea, right?”

The paladin took the roots and shook off what she could of the dirt. She gave the broken end of the root a sniff. “That’s Valerian root, alright. See? You’re getting a handle on medicine, Ako.” 

The young sorceress grinned widely, proud that she had gotten a seal of confidence from Lisa. “I have a great teacher! But, Lisa-nee, think it’ll work?”

“It should. It’s not very potent, but if you want to help Rinko sleep better and get enough rest it will definitely help. We can’t have the Ebon Witch’s mind all muddied up while she’s studying for her final cloister after all.” Lisa winked and wrapped the roots in linen before tucking it in Ako’s small herb basket. “What else did you get?”

The young sorceress proceeded to gibber about the other contents of her basket, enumerating names and other obscure nomenclature, all of which passed over Sayo’s head. When it became evident that the two young women had begun talking about potions and incantations that could very well take them the whole day, the knight interrupted them with a cough. “If you’ve gathered what you require, I suggest we start making our way back,” she told them once she gained their attention. “It is unwise to leave the princess alone longer than necessary. Besides, it’s about to rain.” 

The sky was as grey and dreary as it had been that day, but here in the middle of a Gallian forest, Sayo could not expect hot tea served on a fine, porcelain cup. There were no such luxuries here, only the cold and the aches that refuse to leave her. It frustrated her, this unending exhaustion that she could not quite escape. But she had promised Tsugumi’s friends that she would pull her own weight and contribute. 

And Hikawa Sayo never went back on her oaths so easily.

So there she was, leaning against the young oak upon which she had been tied before. She watched as the rising sun enlightens the campsite. Mist still enveloped clearing though, leaving drops of dew wherever it touched. It was quiet, still. Perhaps the other residents were still asleep, warm and comfortable in their tents. Unlike them, Sayo trembled in the cold. She used to be more resilient, capable of enduring harsher temperatures. Yet, she felt weakness in her bones and feebleness in her flesh. 

She supposed she could light a fire and get herself warmed. There was no point in hoping for a few more minutes of sleep. Slumber had eluded her already, like a cruel, transient phantom that visited her so briefly of late. Besides, there were stirrings inside Tomoe’s tent now. The redheaded woman was awake and, sure enough, she exited her rugged pavilion a few minutes later. On her shoulders was a thick drab olive cloak, the same one she was wearing in the cave, and in her hands were a hunting bow and a quiver of arrows.

“Mornin’” Tomoe greeted her after a morning stretch. Her eyes naturally turned towards Tsugumi’s tent and sighed at the lack of activity for it only meant that Tsugu was still in horrible condition. She briefly examined Ran and Moca’s tent next, as if expecting them to emerge. But when they did not, she cocked her head to the side and asked Sayo, “Wanna go hunting with me for a spell?”

The knight pushed herself from the tree, lethargic and feeling heavier than a sack of potatoes. “What is it do you plan to hunt?”

“Anything, really,” Tomoe shrugged and then looked up at the sky. “It’s bound to rain and when it rains, the game goes away. We’re fresh out of meat. Can’t let this opportunity pass. Can you tend to the horses? We’ll bring that big red one and the smaller bay. I’ll just go pack us a bit of lunch.”

Sayo nodded wordlessly and obeyed. Caring for horses was part of being a knight and it was one of the few mundane tasks she enjoyed. Her love for equines began early. Her lord father owned an impressive stable of destriers and coursers, which were sought after by many other lords and knights in Albion and Caledonia. He had been particularly fond of a large grey stallion in his youth, the first of his many famous horses. The stallion carried him to victory in many tourneys, and it eventually sired an equally magnificent mare. The mare, which had been as black as a raven, was eventually purchased by a neighboring baron, who then gifted it to his daughter when she had been knighted. 

If the tales were to be believed, that was how Lord Hikawa met his future lady, the woman who would become Sayo’s mother. 

There were no battle-fit horses here, however, only mismatched nags that a knight would be embarrassed to ride. One of them was a bay packhorse, an old gelding with pockmarks on its neck. It stood by the shrubs with one hind leg lazily bent as it chewed on what remained of its hay the day before. The others were carthorses, a big strawberry red roan with muscular shoulders and a powerful rump, and another brown mare with a white star on its forehead. Over yonder was another pair that were nearly as big. One was a black beast with a mean crest, evidence that it had been gelded late in its development, while the other was a much smaller gray that grazed nonchalantly on dewladen grass. The horses must have more than a drop of Shire or Ardennais in them because of their thick legs and their docile, almost sweet nature. 

It was the roan mare that Sayo approached first. It stared at her outstretched hand with intelligent eyes before lifting its head and lipping her palm. Putting on its bridle proved to be an easy task and soon, the big girl was saddled and prepared for the trip. The bay gelding was more of a challenge. It was stubborn and did not want obey at first, but the knight eventually coaxed it with a handful of grain from the food wagon. 

“Heh, guess that proves that you actually trained for your spurs.” Tomoe smirked in that cocky way of hers and shifted a brown rucksack over her shoulder. 

“Of course I did,” Sayo bristled and gripped the horses’ reins. “Must you be offensive so early in the morning?” 

At this, Tomoe laughed good-naturedly, “Well, must you always take a comment as an offense? C’mon now. I just couldn’t help but wonder. If you’re a knight, then you must be from a noble family, right? As far as I know, the blue bloods treat their women like dainty little flowers and such.”

“I assure you there was nothing gentle on my path to knighthood,” Sayo retorted impetuously. This Gallian ruffian did not know any better so the knight stayed her temper. While it was true that Sayo was not initially groomed to be a knight due to being the eldest child, she still underwent everything a knight should. She served as a page to a vassal knight in the king’s court and squired for her maternal grandfather, who eventually dubbed her as a knight. She learned how to care for horses even earlier than that and her first precious lessons on swordplay and archery were from her own mother.

“I guess you wouldn’t look so beat up if it was. You have quite a collection of scars for someone who walks around in plate armor.” Sayo inwardly flinched at the comment, not only because of the realization that someone else had seen the many mistakes she had made in both training and battle, but also because of being reminded of what each and every mistake had cost her. For someone so brash and loud, Tomoe was proving to be more observant that she lets on.

Sensing that the knight’s mood had become dour, the redhead took the roan’s reins from her and climbed onto the large beast with ease. She tucked the hunting bow into a crude leather sleeve under her saddle and tied the rucksack and quiver of arrows on a hook on the other side. “Come on, we can’t let the rain fall before we have at least bagged a rabbit or two.”

Sayo nudged the bay gelding after Tomoe’s roan. “Rabbits? Do you really need two people to hunt rabbits?”

“No,” Tomoe shrugged as their horses trotted, and reached for something in the rucksack. “But who knows. Maybe we’ll find bigger game.” The redhead suddenly tossed a roll of bread at Sayo, who struggled to catch it due to her feverish stupor and her still aching ribs. “Good catch,” Tomoe grinned, “Better gnaw on that while on road—oh, also here.” She slowed her giant horse so that she was riding side-by-side with the knight, and handed her a few chunks of dried, salted venison, as well as a skin of water. It was a meager breakfast, but Sayo felt her stomach rumble in hunger upon receiving it.

“I thank you.”

Tomoe waved her off dismissively, looking a bit embarrassed at the formal gesture of gratitude, “Like I said, we don’t have much but we’re not monsters who wouldn’t feed a fellow human being. Though, I wouldn’t mind if you repay me by being useful in today’s hunt.” Her cocky grin came back, and it slightly ruffled Sayo’s proverbial feathers. Tomoe reminded her too much of Sir Roche in Albion. Sir Roche was a young knight, a contemporary of Sayo’s, and he grinned as if all women adored him. Most did, but she didn’t, especially when rumors circulated that he was to marry either her or her twin. It was an appalling thought, one that Sayo knew her father would never allow. And now that Hina was a Royal Guard, Sayo was positive Sir Roche was grinning at other court ladies, fanning his tail feathers like the proud peacock he was.

Sayo consumed her food in silence while she maneuvered her horse with her legs. Every mouthful of nourishment improved her mood despite the constant jog of the horse’s gait to her bruised torso. By the time she was gulping water to chase down her cold meal, she felt rejuvenated and more enthused about the prospect of hunting. Unfortunately, the weather did not improve like she did and the grey overcast persisted, blocking the warm rays of the sun.

The two women rode for a couple of hours, occasionally following well-worn dirt roads and game paths. Mostly, they stayed within the cover of the trees, and that did not help Sayo in gaining any sense of location whatsoever. When she thought that she might have found a decent landmark that she could use later on when she decides to leave and make her way to Allemagne, Tomoe would nudge her horse towards a different direction. She navigated the forest like a maze, so much so that Sayo eventually gave up. 

Her frustration did not go unnoticed. 

“I did mention there were traps about, right?” Tomoe grinned at her, causing Sayo’s scowl deepened slightly. 

“If you’re so good at making traps, why not trap game?”

“Deer and bears and wolves, they’re easy enough to understand. They behave like decent folk and mostly stay out of your way. What they need, they get from the forest. It’s the other people you gotta be wary of around here. When people starve, they tend to steal and hurt others instead. People are worse than animals that way.”

Tomoe never struck Sayo as a cynic because of how easily she smiles and makes jests, but she could not deny or reject her claim. Even when people were not starving, they could prove worse than beasts. From paupers to kings, it was no different. Perhaps that was the reason why Sayo idolized her mother so much. Lady Hikawa was a true knight, a model of the chivalric virtues that all knights swear upon: valor, honor, compassion, generosity, and wisdom. She once told Sayo that every person bears the seeds of these virtues, but it takes effort to nurture them and allow them to thrive. “It is easier to forego the virtues, to indulge and serve only your baser and more selfish qualities,” mother’s voice was as calm as a still lake as she spoke to her young twin daughters. “However, if you do that and only that, what would become of everyone? The harder path is often the better one.”

It was well into mid-morning when Tomoe dismounted her great steed near a small clearing. Sayo followed suit, feeling unwieldy despite not wearing armor. Out of habit, she reached down her waist and promptly panicked due to the lack of a familiar hilt, but she calmed herself with a deep and controlled breath. 

“This is a prime spot,” Tomoe said in a much lighter tone than earlier, clearly excited by the promise of game. “There’s a stream just beyond the trees and all sorts of critters go there to drink. Caught a stag there once. Its antlers are still in my tent. I oughta start on carving those. Have you hunted before?”

“Of course. It’s a common enough sport. I used to hunt with my father and my liege.” The King of Allemagne preferred to hold court and manage the kingdom, but he indulged in hunting every now and then. He often brought either Sayo or Lisa with him whenever the occasion arose, although Sayo was convinced he only invited them so he could ask about his daughter’s well-being. 

“Ah, that’s right. What do you use for hunting then?”

“It depends on what is being hunted, I suppose. Bows and arrows or a spear, hounds if necessary.” 

Tomoe whistled, “Must be nice to be nobility. Well, can’t really trust you with a weapon yet but I could use some extra muscle if we get lucky. C’mon!”

“I figured that all I will contribute to this trip is being your pack mule.” 

“You catch on quick, Sayo-san.” 

Sayo sighed in exasperation and tailed her companion with less enthusiasm than before. As luck would have it, the forest proved to be barren of wildlife even as they walked deeper and deeper into the woods. It became darker under the shade of the canopy, reminding Sayo of the foreboding weather they were having. Not that it was difficult to forget, as she began to sweat profusely due to the humidity and the exertion. Half an hour into the hike, the most they spied were a red fox and a small flock of pheasants that quickly disappeared under the brush. 

“Tomoe-san, may I ask a question?” The knight paused and leaned on a tree trunk to catch her breath and take a sip of water.

“Haven’t you already? But sure.”

Sayo took a moment to consider her question. “It’s about Ran-san and the ability you used on me in the cave.” Calling their black-haired leader by name felt so foreign on Sayo’s tongue. She would rather refer to her more formally, but peasants rarely carry family names. “Was that magic? No, that was the Voice, wasn’t it?”

Tomoe stiffened, her eyes glaring at her for a second before darting whichever way. “I haven’t heard of it being called that for a long time. But how were you able to tell?”

The knight tied the waterskin to her belt and crossed her arms. “The Princess of Allemagne has the Voice, and I am one of her guardians. I could feel it from Ran-san when she speaks. Her anger, it draws her Voice out.”

Tomoe shifted her weight from one foot to another, clearly organizing her thoughts. “Yes, Ran has the Voice.”

“Then why is she on the run?”

At this, the redhead’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean? We’re not on the run. We’ve… always lived like this.”

“Isn’t the Voice the power of kings?” Sayo questioned sternly. “The Queen of Albion also has the Voice and--”

Tomoe’s face quickly contorted to an expression of unadulterated hate. “Fuck Albion!” She spat. “And what you’re saying is bullshit. Ran, all of us, we’ve got nothing to do with nobles and kings. We paid enough for their games.”

The knight flinched. It was easy to understand Tomoe’s hatred of her homeland, as the previous ruler was indeed far too ambitious for his own good, as was his father before him. They thought that the crown of Gallia belonged on their brows just because of an obscure drop of Gallian blood in their veins. She could only imagine how horrendous the Hundred Years War had been, as she was born just as it was ending. Evidently, the war never truly ended here in Gallia given how raw Tomoe’s wounds still are. 

“My apologies. I was merely curious. I was under the impression that the Voice was a closely guarded asset of the royal family. It certainly is in Allemagne.” Thinking of Yukina always gave Sayo images of Allemagne’s indoor amphitheater, where the princess spends most of her time like a caged songbird. In the five years she had served in Allemagne, the knight had only seen Yukina outside the castle once or twice and even then the princess was never allowed beyond the gates. The King was a kind man, but also fearful for his daughter’s well-being. 

That in itself was a curse. 

“Well it obviously isn’t,” Tomoe retorted. Her tone was cooler now and more thoughtful, as if she was swimming against the current of her memories. “We have no idea how Ran got the Voice, and she certainly ain’t part of any noble family. Her family grew flowers for god’s sake!”

“So the Voice does not pass by blood?” That was certainly a revelation. As far as Sayo knew of history, both Albion and Allemagne’s Voice bearers were members of the royal line, even when they were not heirs apparent. Queen Aya, for instance, was merely a cousin to the crown of Albion, a daughter of a royal duke. Yet, she inherited the Voice instead of the Crown Princess Ayumi. 

“I’ve no idea. Ran just started blowing stuff away one day when she got pissed off at me. Heh…” From Tomoe’s expression, Sayo could only deduce that she had been the first target of the black-haired woman’s forceful Voice. 

“Her powers, the Voice, it’s much coveted.” Sayo mentioned carefully.

“It is but we are not going to let Ran be a puppet of the Dauphin. We live free and we will remain that way.”

Tomoe said those words with absolute certainty, and it almost reassured Sayo. The woman definitely had confidence and Ran seemed powerful enough to protect herself, but the knight also knew there were stronger and more cunning powers out there. This small band of bandits was insignificant, all things considered. The redhead already said it once; to hurt and manipulate someone, pursue those they love most.

This was a discovery she intends to share with her cohorts in Allemagne. Voice bearers were rare and they were almost always a force of nature. For example, Princess Yukina was the main reason Allemagne enjoyed peace, for no mage or sorcerer would dare cast a spell when her Voice was in the air. She silences the magic of her foes and amplifies those of her allies. Allemagne was a major power in the continent because of this. On the other hand, Queen Aya sings to the earth itself and the earth listens, rewarding her with fertile soil and agreeable weather. It was because of her Voice that Albion recovered as quickly as it did after the tyranny of the former king was removed. 

Sayo wondered what Ran’s Voice could do. The Voice was always specific and singular by nature, unlike the magic of witches and warlocks who could bend materials and forces around them with incantations and spells. From what the knight had seen, Ran’s Voice could throw grown men several yards with a word and could splinter wooden walls with a shout. Wind perhaps? Thinking back to how Tomoe had defeated her, Sayo could recall a strong gust of wind when she was thrown. And yet at the same time, it was not. It was an unnatural force that sent her flying, something invisible and instant. 

“Hey, stop staring off and let’s keep moving!” Tomoe chastised a distance away, pulling Sayo from her musings. Indeed, this was a thought for another day. They had food to catch. 

Another half an hour passed before they could finally see the stream beyond the tree line. Yet, there were still no game to be seen aside from ducks and their offspring splashing in the shallows. Tomoe considered hunting those but eventually decided against it. Their patience paid off when a boar emerged from the forest to drink. It was a big wild pig, brown and scruffy, with a snout smeared with mud. It had been foraging and, by the look of its belly, it was probably preparing to return to its den to weather the incoming rains. 

“How good are you with a bow?” Sayo could not help but ask, seeing as Tomoe looked absolutely uncomfortable with the weapon. 

“Well enough,” the redhead scoffed, although the wry smile she had on her face only made Sayo doubtful of her abilities. “Fine, Moca is actually better at this than me, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t caught my own share of deer and boar with it!” 

“I see…” 

“How dare you look dubious, huh?” Tomoe hissed under her breath. 

Sayo glanced at her for a moment before returning her gaze on their query. “For one, you’re holding it incorrectly.” 

“What?”

“Hush, it’ll hear you. We should’ve brought spears if we’re going after boar. Unless you hit it squarely in the chest and have the arrow penetrate between its ribs, using arrows isn’t very effective. We’ll end up chasing it the rest of the day.” 

Tomoe growled in annoyance. “I can’t believe this,” she grumbled, “My pack mule is giving me hunting lessons.”

“Not hunting lessons necessarily but archery,” the knight countered. “A hunting bow like that could not possibly splinter a boar’s ribs.”

“If I don’t shoot now, it’ll retreat to the bushes!”

“Then shoot by all means. I did not mean to rattle your confidence.” Sayo didn’t realize how unstable Tomoe’s mettle was with projectiles. In her haste to seize the opportunity, the redhead nocked an arrow, drew the hunting bow much too quickly, and shot the arrow with an aim that absolutely horrified Sayo. Thankfully, the arrow hit the target but it did not quite make the mark, resulting in a startled boar scurrying back into the shrubs. 

“If you even breath ‘I told you so’ I swear I’ll punch you.”

Sayo did not say a word but she felt rather triumphant in spite of the situation. “We should follow it.” 

Tomoe’s slung the bow around her shoulder and agreed. The pair found stepping stones nearby and crossed the stream in pursuit. Tomoe was a fast runner, tireless with her long strides. Contrarily, Sayo could not quite sustain the sprint. Her breaths fell short and the aches on her legs and ribs slowed her down significantly. She was gasping for air and dizzy with pain after a measly few minutes of running. 

She was not well and it showed. 

The redhead returned to her a few minutes later, bewildered and a bit frustrated. “I lost it,” she said. “I kept on its trail but I guess the little bugger turned around under a bush or something.” 

“We can still track it,” Sayo pushed herself off  her knees once she had regained her composure. “Can’t expect to outrun a wild pig in the woods.”

“Yeah, you’re right. You’re looking pale there, Sayo-san.”

“I’m fine. Let’s keep going.” There was no point in backing down after they have gotten so far. The beast was wounded and thus it was only a matter of time before it must stop and rest. Tell-Tale signs of the boar’s injuries were on the ground; a few drops of blood on leaf litter and a gouge in the soil where it must have fallen on its tusks in pain. The knight and the brigand followed it until they spied the boar across a narrow clearing doing its best to remove the arrow’s broken shaft from the flesh of its rump. 

“May I?” Sayo gestured to the bow. “I must admit I have not used a bow in a while but perhaps I still have one good shot in me.”

Tomoe scrutinized the knight’s outstretched hand, pondering whether she should allow her prisoner access to a weapon. “Fine, but you better take that pig down with this shot. I think we’ve run out of time.” 

Indeed, small droplets of rain were trickling down from the sky. Soon, there would be a downpour and hunting would be impossible. And given her condition, Sayo would really like to return to camp as dry as possible. “I’ll do my best,” she told her companion as the bow was placed in her hand. Tomoe then held the quiver up, giving Sayo the chance to pick her own arrow. The shafts were made well but they were crude. Some were not as straight as they ought to be and the fletching left much to be desired. But then these arrows were made out here in the wild, not in some castle barracks. 

Sayo stalked the boar and did her best to ignore her blurring peripheral vision. She also tested the draw weight of the hunting bow and found it satisfactory. However, when she tried drawing it to its full extent, the wound on her left forearm roared into life. The knight hissed in pain and slowly and very carefully retracted the draw. This would not do, she thought, reminded of why she had forsaken archery in the first place. The wound that Hina gave her in that duel robbed her of her peerless aim. Heartbroken and ashamed, Sayo never touched another bow until now. Mother would have been disappointed in her. 

She bit the inside of her cheek to tame the sting and once it was manageable, she took the ribbon she uses to tie her hair and tightly wrapped it around her forearm to deaden the sting. 

“Oi, you okay?” Tomoe asked as quietly as she could to prevent alerting the boar. 

The knight did not bother to respond. Instead, she took a deep breath and conquered the pain. The bow’s draw weight was only half of an Albion Longbow. She could manage. She thought back on those first few weeks in Allemagne, after her twin’s mark had healed and Sayo dared to pick up a bow to prove her abilities to Lisa and Yukina. Her hands were shaking back then as it did now, barely able to keep her form steady. Her vision was fuzzy because of the fear and anger she had brought with her to her self-imposed exile. She could not focus and all she saw were Hina’s eyes, irises identical to her own, looking at her mockingly. 

She could not hit a target properly that day. The arrows either missed entirely or they pathetically hit the edges. It was a pitiful show. The knight recalled apologizing to the paladin and princess for her ineptitude, telling them if they decide not to bring her into their service, she would still be thankful for offering her shelter and a chance. Yukina did not look impressed at all as her usually stoic expression bore a frown of dissatisfaction. On the other hand, Lisa--sweet and kind Lisa--laughed, waved off her sincere speech, and unsheathed the claymore on her back. 

“Draw your sword!” The paladin called to her as she descended the stairs to the training yard. “I’m a bad shot too, y’know? Archery is hardly the only skill a knight should have.”

“But, Imai-san!” Sayo wanted nothing more than to lick her wounded pride and run away like she had done before. However, Lisa was determined to make her stay.

“No, buts. En garde!”

That was five years ago. Her heart and mind were much less cloudy now. Her service to Allemagne had healed her pride and allowed her to live as she wanted, without the overbearing shadow Hina had cast upon her ever since they were children. Lisa, Yukina, Ako and Rinko; they all gave her a chance to heal and grow and regain the confidence she had lost. Their thoughts and the desire to return them gave her strength now. 

And so, Sayo drew the bow and rested the fletching of her arrow just below her lips. Long unused muscles groaned under her skin as she steadied her aim. She might not have used a bow in years, but her body remembers. Her shoulders tensed as the wobbling gradually stopped. All of the sudden, she was back home again, marveling at her mother’s perfect form when she first showed her how to properly shoot an arrow. 

She took another deep breath and loosed the arrow as she exhaled. The bowstring  _ twanged _ and the projectile flew true, hitting the boar squarely in the chest. She had been aiming for the beast’s heart, just behind its foreleg, but she had missed that. Nevertheless, the shaft was properly buried in the pig’s flesh and must have punctured its innards. It was less than perfect but it did the job, as the boar was only able to hop once before it fell on the ground, its pained squealing halting after a few moments. 

Sayo sighed in relief. It was a clean kill. 

“Whoa…” 

The knight momentary euphoria was doused by Tomoe’s amazed expression. It was as if she had never seen an archer shoot a bow. Bristling, Sayo handed the bow back to its owner. “We should get back.”

“That was an incredible shot!” The redhead exclaimed as she took back the weapon. “You should’ve told me from the start so we could’ve saved some running.”

Sayo inhibited the urge to roll her eyes and moved to retrieve their catch. “It is nothing to brag about. As I’ve said, I haven’t used a bow in years.”

“Hah! Nothing to brag about, huh? That sounds like bragging to me oh Lady I-Haven’t-Shot-A-Bow-In-Years. You gotta be joking me. That’s like calling a knife that cuts through leather like butter rusty.” Tomoe’s grin threatened to split her face in two. “And leave that lil bugger to me, Sayo-san.” 

“But I thought I was your pack mule.”

“You killed it, yeah? Which means I’m the pack mule. Besides, you ain’t looking too good.” 

“I said I’m fine,” the knight sighed. “Although, I would prefer to get back before the rain pours.”

“I agree with you there.” Tomoe slashed the hog’s throat to bleed it out more thoroughly and heft it on her shoulder a few minutes later. “C’mon, let’s head back.”

The pace they set on the way back to camp was hasty, with Tomoe urging her giant red beast of a mount to trot as fast as it could even with the boar’s full weight strapped on its back. Sayo’s gelding followed suit. For once it did not refuse or did whatever it wanted, and simply obeyed her. Evidently, even the horse wanted to return to a familiar place before the rain. 

The knight was ready to just collapse on her cot, wetness be damned. Her eyelids felt heavy, her body heavier still. She knew it was but mid-afternoon yet all she wanted was sleep. She thought that she would be lucky if Tomoe or Himari offered her something to eat or drink. Even if they did not, rest beckoned and she would happily sleep away the hunger pangs in her belly. 

She was relieved to see the silhouettes of the tents from a distance, knowing that after she unsaddled the horses she would be free to her nurse her aches. Unless of course her supposed captors ordered her to do something. However, her inward annoyance was replaced with trepidation once she heard Himari’s desperate cries.

“Ran! Tomoe! Moca!” The strawberry blonde woman wailed as they entered the camp.

“What’s happening?” Tomoe jumped down her mount and held her friend by the shoulder. “Breath, what’s going on?”

“It’s Tsugu!” Himari was frantic, half-crazed, and shook Tomoe with all her strength. “Tomoe! She’s… I-I fell asleep for a moment. She… she was just sleeping after I managed to give her a mouthful to drink! Now, s-she’s not breathing!”

The redhead visibly paled. “No…”

Moca leaped down from a nearby tree a moment later, “Hii-chan! What’s going on?”

Ran showed up soon after with an axe in hand. She gave one look at her companions, dropped the axe and shouldered past them to go into Tsugumi’s tent. The rest hurriedly followed. 

Sayo was right behind them, her once hungry stomach now filled with an icy chill. Tsugumi had endured so much already that the knight held onto the hope that she would conquer her injuries and the fever that consumed her from the inside. Sayo had taken to watching her tent in these past couple of days, catching glimpses of her whenever Himari or one of the others went inside. All she ever saw was Tsugumi’s hand in those brief moments, faithfully clutching a rosary. 

That very same hand was slack now and rosary was precariously on the verge of falling from her fingers. 

“Tsugumi.” Ran shook the brunette’s shoulder, her voice firm. “Tsugumi!” She tried again. Tsugumi’s lifelessness, the slack of her neck and shoulders as Ran lifted her made Sayo’s guts turn. “No…” Ran paused then attempted to wake her friend up more vigorously. “Tsugumi, this isn’t funny! Wake up!”

“Tomoe,” Himari cried in despair, her tears flowing freely down her face. She had tirelessly cared for Tsugumi since they have rescued her, sometimes even foregoing sleep so she would be there in case Tsugumi woke up and was in need of food or drink. She never left tent and when she did, she always made sure one of the others took her place. 

Tomoe was tearful too but she instinctively took the mantle of Himari’s pillar. She held the shorter woman as sobs caused her shoulders to tremble. But she was frozen in trepidation, as the worst was happening in front of her eyes. Moca was just as paralyzed, both in grief and worry over Ran. Sayo noticed that the two were close, much closer to each other than they were with the others, and seeing her black-haired friend go mad with bereavement had tears brimming over her typically nonchalant eyes. 

“Tsugumi!” Ran yelled, her Voice causing some of the nearby trinkets to fall from their perches and the flaps of the tent to blow dangerously outwards. 

But Tsugumi still remained unresponsive. 

As if heaven itself mourned, the rain decided to fall then. Droplets seeped into Sayo’s hair and clothes, chilling her even more. Yet, it was also that frigid coldness that helped her regain fortitude. She shouldered her way inside the tent, effectively pushing Tomoe outside, and ignored Ran’s angry curses. She kneeled down next to Tsugumi’s inert body and pressed a couple of fingers against the brunette’s neck. 

“Just what the fuck are you doing? Don’t touch her!” Ran’s Voice quaked Sayo’s very being, as if the intensity of the sound itself shook her core. 

“She’s still alive,” the knight snapped back. Tsugumi had a pulse but it was so weak, too weak. Her skin was like fire as well, so much so that Sayo could not even fathom how she had survived so long. The fever was cooking her from the inside out. 

“What?” Himari gasped as hope returned to her eyes. 

Sayo bit her lower lip, “Hazawa-san still lives but barely. She… she would not last the night.” 

A flurry of voices occupied the tent then. 

“What do you mean she would not last the night?” 

“What should we do now, Ran?”

“The medicine clearly didn’t work, goddamitall!”

“Tsugu… Tsugu, no… we can’t just give up!”

As chaos and panic filled the others’ minds and hearts, Sayo kneeled down and thought. If there was one important thing she had truly learned from her mother, it was to assess the situation carefully, thoroughly, and to think of all the possible outcomes. Tsugumi’s fate was all but sealed, her body was simply unable to handle the injuries and the infection in her blood. 

“They’ll pay for this,” Ran threatened throatily, vowing vengeance. 

“Tsugu isn’t dead yet!” Tomoe shouted back. “We have to care for her first!”

Sayo could not tolerate them anymore and yelled, “Will you all be quiet!” 

Mercifully, the whole band stopped and looked at her with varying degrees of indignity. 

“My sword. Where is it?” The knight demanded sternly and took Tsugumi off Ran’s arms to lay her back down on her cot. 

“What are you going to do?” Tomoe asked dubiously. “We aren’t going to let you slay her in front of us.”

“No, I intend to help her.” Sayo sighed in annoyance. “Please, give me my sword.”

“No.” Ran bristled in response, but Moca had hopped onto her feet and ran out of the tent. She returned a moment later with Sayo’s longsword in hand, wrapped in an old cloth. 

“Here, Sayo-san,” Moca offered it to her, hilt first. The knight held the silver-haired woman’s gaze and drew the sword. Having Solaris in her hand was comforting in a way, and gazing at its milky-white blade was empowering. Reverent, the knight turned the sword and rested its tip on the ground. 

“I do not know if this will be enough,” Sayo admitted to Tsugumi’s friends. “I am not a mage nor am I a healer. What magic I have is not mine, but is instead given to me to use when necessary. It is a magic to heal battle wounds or broken bones so I could survive a fight. I don’t know if would be of any help to her at this rate. If… if I’m too late then…”

“Go on, Sayo-san,” Tomoe spoke up before Ran could. “We are grateful.”

Sayo nodded and returned to the task at hand. She closed her eyes and gripped Solaris’ hilt with both hands. She thought of Yukina, who sang the magic into the turquoise on the sword’s pommel, and Lisa, who taught her the words. 

_ Phol ende uuodan uuorun zi holza. _ __  
_ du uuart demo balderes uolon sin uuoz birenkit. _ __  
_ thu biguol en sinthgunt, sunna era suister; _ _  
_ __ thu biguol en friia, uolla era suister;

The turquoise glowed as Sayo recited the beginnings of the incantation, a calling of gods’ names and their very human-like mistake. She called on Wodan and Frigg, on Balder and Sol, ancient Allemand gods to release the power of the Voice within the gem. However, with Tsugumi’s life on the line, Sayo’s throat tightened and her tongue had difficulty saying the words in Old High Tongue of Allemagne . 

It had always been hard for her to use magic, being of Albion decent. Mages, witches, and sorcerers were products of the magic-rich continent, not of the isles. And while magic existed in Albion and Caledonia, the supernatural at work in her homeland were far more feral and animalistic, like those of the Caledonian Druids who could turn themselves into wolves and bears.

For this dying soul, however, Sayo would try. 

_ biguol en uuodan, so he uuola conda: _ __  
_ sose benrenki, sose bluotrenki, sose lidirenki: _ __  
_ ben zi bena, bluot si bluoda, _ _  
_ __ lid zi geliden, sose gelimida sin!

Light exploded from the gem and descended on Tsugumi’s prone form as glowing white mist. It seeped into her skin and flesh. And once the dimness of the tent returned, Sayo held her breath for several moments. The words themselves were less than perfect, but it was the results that mattered. She only feared that Tsugumi was far too gone for such a weak form of healing. 

“Hazawa-san?” Sayo whispered, truthfully scared that the infusion of magic in Tsugumi’s already weakened state only accelerated her demise. She touched the brunette’s fingers, the one where the rosary loosely clung upon, and found it warm. Emboldened, the knight touched Tsugumi’s forehead and neck to check on her pulse. 

It was still weak but so much more promising than the withering echo that it was before. 

Sayo sharply inhaled as Tsugumi stirred under her fingertips, her expression contorting a bit before her brown eyes fluttered open. “S...Sa…” Her dry lips tried to form the knight’s name. 

“Save your strength, Hazawa-san,” Sayo immediately interrupted her as she fell back on her knees, vision suddenly blurred irrevocably. She almost did not see Tsugumi moving her head ever so slightly to follow her advice. Nevertheless, she lost sight of the brunette soon after as her friends immediately crowded to her side. Thankfully, Tomoe had enough sense left in her to keep the others from smothering Tsugumi completely. 

Sayo backed away as much as she could to get some air. However, a terrible headache gripped her now, a typical aftermath whenever she used magic. She was not even able to stand, and when she tried, she simply collapsed on the tanned cowhide that served as the flooring of the tent.

She was so tired. 

Sayo held onto consciousness as she slumped down, unable to keep herself upright. She saw Tsugumi’s hand from between her friends’ limbs and was reassured, for the beads of the rosary was now held more securely. 

The knight hoped that when she woke up, Tsugumi would wake up with her. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit that I'm not very happy with this chapter's pacing, but at the same time, I automatically write in such a slow pace too. Oh, the dilemma! If you have suggestions or thoughts about the story's pacing, please let me know. 
> 
> Also, the poem or incantation Sayo chanted here is an actual magic spell used way back when. It's called the "Merseburg Charms". It's rather fascinating!
> 
> Once again, feedback and comments are a writer's bread and butter. Without it, we can most likely not survive. Please feed the writer!


	4. Gallia IV - In This Predetermined Narrow Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The worst is finally over. Sayo finally finds the strength to stand on her own two feet while Tsugumi recuperates, her life no longer in danger. 
> 
> Although the physical ailments and wounds heal, the intangible scars in the mind and the soul ache. However, they could enjoy this moment, celebrate it, for there will always friends around to commemorate small victories.

Father said that being an older sister is a big responsibility. An older sister was thoughtful, alert, protective, and served as a pillar of strength whenever necessary. An older sister was always the responsible one, the role model and guide. To a five-year-old Sayo, being an older sister sounded like a daunting task, especially when she was a mere seven minutes older than Hina.

However, Mother also told her that being an older sister meant being loved. Mother was the younger of two sisters as well, and she told Sayo that she loved her older sister dearly, that there was no one else in the world stronger and more resilient. Hearing that planted a warm and proud ember in her heart, and ever since then, Sayo strived to be the elder sister Hina could be proud of.

But how could she be the admirable and model elder sister when Hina was better than her in every possible way? She could always run faster, jump higher, read more advanced tomes, and was always the light of the room. Sayo was considered dull in comparison, admired only for her behaviour, obedience, and seemingly mature nature.

How could she be a good elder sister if she could not even keep her baby sister safe?

Hina was showing off as usual that day and had won over the duke’s daughter, Aya. The princess was about the twins’ age and she chased Hina around the castle in a harmless game of tag. Giggling, Hina hopped, twisted and turned to avoid being caught, until Aya finally cornered her on the balcony. Determined not to lose, Sayo’s twin climbed onto the balcony’s marble balustrade, carelessly grinning and sticking her tongue out.

“Hina, get down from there. You might fall.” Sayo warned, as she had taken it upon herself to watch over the two. She was the elder sister, so of course she had to, even though Aya was slightly older.

Fortunately, Hina can be obedient to Sayo when she wanted to be and quipped a quick “Okay!” before bending her knees to jump down. However, a strong gale suddenly blew and Hina lost her balance. Sayo watched as her sister struggled to regain her composure. She shouted in horror as Hina’s precarious footing became more and more dire. Hina was leaning backwards while fighting to keep her feet on the balustrade and to move herself forward so she would fall into the balcony rather than the gardens four storeys below.

“Hina!”

“Hina-chan!”

Sayo hurried to grab her sister’s dress, but her small hand missed the garment. She watched in horror as Hina fell backwards crying, “Onee-chan!”

“HINA!”

Sayo’s eyes blurred with tears, utterly terrified that her sister was falling right in front of her. She jumped up one more time to reach her sister, her leg, her dress, anything so she would not fall, but the balustrade was so high and Hina was so far away. Sayo cried out in terror before a massive shadow loomed over her and a powerful arm reached out and caught Hina just in time.

“It’s okay. I have you, Hina. Don’t cry.”

“Uwaaaah!”

Sayo’s eyes widened when she heard her sister’s wailing. She looked up and found Father with Hina in his arms. Her twin was bawling and was clinging to Father’s dark blue doublet, her tiny knuckles white. Next to Sayo, Aya was crying too with tears rolling down her cheeks and her breath stuttering due to hiccups. The duke’s daughter wiped her eyes and exclaimed, “Hina-chan, don’t you ever do that again!”

Hina burrowed into Father’s chest, sniffling, before peering down at Sayo and Aya.

Relief instantaneously turned into frustration. “I told you to get down!” Sayo stomped her foot on the floor. “I told you!”

This only made Hina cry again.

“Hush, Sayo.” Father commanded with his deep voice. “Hina, what you did was dangerous. It’s fortunate that I was looking for you three. What would have happened if I was not able to catch you in time? I told you that you should not be climbing. You know how high this balcony is. You could have died!”

Father’s lecture silenced even Hina’s bawling. Father never shouted, but he was not a soft-spoken man either. When he talked, people around him listened and his twin daughters were no exception. Hina wept a bit more because Father was chastising her, but eventually she mewled “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again” and burrowed her teary face into Father’s broad shoulder for comfort.

Sayo wiped her own tears with the back of her small hands. She was scared and angry at the same time. However, the chaotic storm of emotions that twisted and coiled in her young heart froze when she looked up at Father’s face. Father looked genuinely frightened and was on the verge of letting his ire known. His icy blue eyes examined her and Aya. Perhaps Father was only checking if she and the duke’s daughter were hurt, but to Sayo, Father’s disappointment was palpable.

Sayo was supposed to look after her spirited twin, no exceptions.

And thus, the young girl wept on Mother’s shoulder, unsure whether to say “I’m sorry” or “It’s Hina’s fault.” Mother only hummed and stroked her hair comfortingly. She wiped away her tears and fixed her fringe so they would not get in the way of her eyes.

Guilt eventually won over and Sayo’s poured her little heart out to Mother.

“That is not true,” Mother said as Sayo sobbed to the point of hiccups. “Hina is…” Mother paused to kiss both of Sayo’s cheeks before tucking her daughter against her bosom. “Do not think it is your fault, Sayo. You tried to keep her from the balcony, right? You did what you could, dear.”

“Really?” The little girl sniffled, her incompetence melting away in Mother’s embrace.

“Really.” Mother smiled and kissed her forehead before stroking her hair. “Do not mind your father. He is upset because Hina could have been hurt or worse, but he is not angry at you. He just loves you two far too much that the thought of you getting hurt upsets him. But know this, Sayo. I am proud of you. I know you did everything to protect your sister. Your father may say Hina is like the sun, bright and radiant, but for me, you will always be the brightest star in the night sky that guides people in the darkness.”

Mother’s words comforted the little girl as they always did. Mother was Sayo’s sanctuary. She knew Father loved her, but only Mother made her feel special. Mother did not favor Hina over her or vice versa, Mother loved equally and that was what made Sayo cherish her in return.

Sayo wanted to stay in Mother’s arms a bit longer, but Mother’s face began to fade away. She could still vividly remember her wise amber eyes and long dark hair but, much to her horror, the other features of Mother’s face were fuzzy. How did Mother smile again? How did she furrow her brows when she was deep in thought? What was the shape of her nose? Sayo could no longer recall, for it had been so long since Mother passed on.

And yet, Sayo could still feel her fingers combing through her fringe. The motion was slow, gentle, and full of affection. It felt so familiar that Sayo was brought to tears.

“Sayo-san? Sayo-san, are you in pain? Please wake up.”

That was not Mother’s voice. It sounded younger, both strange yet familiar, and it rescued her from the sorrow of losing her mother all over again.

The knight stirred. When she opened her eyes, she found that she was under the dim cover of a four-walled canvas tent that was supported by a single rigid pole. There was a narrow blade of moonlight that sliced through the tent’s partially opened flap, and it illuminated the interior just enough for Sayo’s groggy vision to note the small crates and barrels piled neatly on one side of the tent. There was also a wooden pail of water next to her head, with a tawny cloth hanging from the side.

Before she could examine the rest of her surroundings, Sayo felt the warm trail her sparse tears left behind when they fell. Instinctively, she wiped them away with her fingers.

“Sayo-san?”

The knight turned towards the familiar voice and found Tsugumi watching her with worry. Sayo blinked away the surprise. She expected to wake up under the oak tree because she was certain that one of her supposed captors would have dragged her outside to dump her under her makeshift canvas shed, like an unwanted mutt.

“Ha-Hazawa-san.” Sayo groaned at how terrible she sounded. It was as if her throat was stuffed with hay, itchy and sore. She cleared her throat and said “You’re… alright.” She did not sound any better.

“Thanks to you,” Tsugumi smiled at her in sympathy. “But that should be my line, Sayo-san. We couldn’t wake you after you fainted yesterday and then your fever worsened during the night. Just a minute ago you were making pained noises. I was so worried.”

Tsugumi’s sincere words allowed Sayo to make sense of what had happened. “I’m fine, Hazawa-san. It was just a bad dream. It’s odd. I have never dreamed for years.” Perhaps it was because of her delirium that fever dreams came. Still, Sayo was not used to it. For the past several years, only the restful darkness came to her when she slept. She did not appreciate the disturbing and emotionally draining experience of recalling the family she had lost. The family she abandoned.

Sayo sighed and closed her eyes to regain her composure, to push away the faint memories. Fortunately, it had been so long that she could barely make out the face of her late mother and her father, who she had stopped seeing long before she left Albion.

A cool hand brushed away her fringe and rested lightly on top of her forehead. Looking over, Sayo found Tsugumi frowning. She said, “Your fever hasn’t broken yet, Sayo-san.” Tsugumi’s worried expression was marred only by a well-controlled grimace as she settled her arm back over her stomach.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You need a cool damp cloth over your forehead.” Tsugumi either ignored her or she was so preoccupied that she did not even notice her remark. Instead, she looked at the pail of water next to Sayo with determination and tried to actually reach for it, much to the latter’s astonishment. However, before her hand could go past Sayo’s head, Tsugumi yelped aloud as if she had been struck.

Alarmed, Sayo pulled her heavy head up and took hold of her companion’s arm and shoulder, steadying the injured woman and preventing her from moving haphazardly. “Your wounds didn’t heal, did they?” The knight questioned hoarsely, riled by the realization.

Tiny beads of sweat formed on Tsugumi’s forehead as she tempered herself, mastering the pain. She allowed Sayo to help her lie down on her cot. “Th-they’re healing,” the brunette exhaled and inhaled again as she recovered from the sting.

“Then you shouldn’t move so much,” Sayo sternly chastised. She quickly realized, however, that she did not have the energy to assert her words. Once she was certain Tsugumi was properly settled, she fell back onto her own cot feeling several stones heavier than usual.

“I’m sorry. After everything you have done for me, I thought I could take care of you in return.” Tsugumi’s smile was self-deprecating. “You defended me in the cave and then helped me find my friends. You pulled me away from death’s door. And now, even though you’re sick, you’re still taking care of me.”

“You’re still hurt, Hazawa-san. You suffered more than I did. You should use all of your energy in healing yourself. I’ll be fine…” Sayo closed her eyes after she could barely bear the weight of her eyelids. “I just need to rest.”

Sleep and wakefulness spun the next few days of Sayo’s life. The fever kept her weak and left her with only enough energy to eat, take whatever horrid brew Himari or Tomoe forced her to drink, and to relieve herself outside. Once all of these basic actions were done, Sayo would collapse on the cot and not wake until the next day.

When she did manage a few moments of consciousness, Tsugumi occupied her attention. They were not always awake at the same time, as they were both healing from various illnesses and injuries, but Tsugumi’s presence eased Sayo’s discomfort. There was always something comforting in hearing another’s breaths in an unfamiliar place.

Perhaps it was the fourth or fifth day--she was in no shape to keep count-- when Sayo’s fever finally broke. She woke up before sunrise, relieved and feeling the first real pangs of hunger churning in her belly. A tallow lamp was burning the last of its fuel a few feet away next to the tent’s pole, flickering ephemerally before a gentle cool morning breeze blew inside the tent.

Next to her, Tsugumi lied unaware in her own cot, comfortably asleep on her side facing the wall of the tent. A thin blanket covered her from feet to shoulder, while her wooden rosary adorned her hand. She must have been fingering it as she tried to sleep, praying like she did in the cave. White bandages peeked under the collar of her nightdress, a testament that she was still healing. However, to see her sleeping so soundly made Sayo feel a small amount of gladness despite her situation.

Perhaps all this effort and the terrors of near-death experiences were worth it after all.

The call of nature had Sayo rolling onto her arms and legs. Her limbs groaned under the strain, especially when she pushed herself up to stand, but at least they felt stronger. She examined her arm as she exited the tent, pleased that the knife wound had closed as cleanly as she could have hoped for. It was still red around the edges, but it had scabbed over nicely and should heal completely in another week or so. She lifted her shirt and found her bruises fading away, the aches and pains slowly but surely leaving her at last.

Once she had relieved herself at the latrine a small ways from camp, Sayo busied herself in foraging for anything she could snack on until the residents of the camp woke up. The early morning mist blanketed the dew-laden grass under her feet, chilling her pleasantly after spending days miserable with fever. Nearby, the communal fire pit glowed dimly with its remaining embers, scorching away a small radius of the mist.

The knight slipped on her boots and approached the fire pit and the food wagon, hoping to find scraps to eat. However, the food wagon's adjacent table, on which the group prepared their meals, was clean. Salted strips of meat hung from a pole behind the wagon, but they still looked fresh and unfit for consumption.

Next, Sayo inspected the black iron kettle hanging above the embers and found that it still contained what looked to be pease pottage. Despite her childhood aversion to any food that was green in color, Sayo found the mushy contents of the pot appetizing. Driven by hunger, the knight combed through the food wagon in search of a means to eat the pottage. She found wooden bowls and spoons inside a chest at the end of the wagon and ladled herself a serving.

The pottage was less a stew now and more a dry mash of pale grayish-green pease. It was bland, aside from the hint of salted boar fat that was its seasoning, and bits of the bottom that have been burned. Tomoe and the others must have eaten this with a side of salted meat and bread to make it palatable. Alas, Sayo cared more about filling her stomach than the taste of her food.

She recalled how much she disliked vegetables when she was younger. She and Hina cared little about greens and turnips and parsnips as children. Carrots were Sayo's greatest enemy at the time, especially after she was forced to eat buttered carrots at dinner because Hina simply refused to do so. She remembered how Father looked at a loss at dealing with his younger daughter's tantrum, while Mother insisted that the carrots be eaten because they were healthy and filling.

Ever the obedient child, Sayo forced herself to chew and swallow one mushy orange chunk after another. She remembered that she felt so sick afterwards that she could not sleep.

Sayo paused just as she was about to spoon the last of the pottage into her mouth because of nearby rustling. Instinctively, she searched for anything she could use as a weapon in case this intruder was unwelcomed. She found the meat cleaver hanging by the food wagon and a thick wooden rod just across from her leaning against Himari’s tent.

She quickly reached for the rod.

“Sayo-san?”

The knight relaxed when she recognized the voice. It was Ran returning to camp just in time for sunrise. Over her shoulder was a small, heavy sack which she deposited on the food wagon’s table. From the sound that its contents made, Sayo deduced that they may be an assortment of foragables that Ran had collected.

“You are out early,” Ran mused as she picked up the clay jug on top of one of the barrels that flanked the table and poured herself a cup of ale. She drank deeply and exhaled as she placed the cup down.

“Like a rat looking for food,” Sayo frowned at the self-deprecating remark but that earned her a deep, quiet chuckle from the other woman.

Ran joined her by the firepit with the ale jug and cups in hand. She poured a cup and offered it to Sayo, like some sort of peace offering or truce. “Something to wash it down.”

Sayo set her empty bowl down and graciously took the drink. “Thank you,” she said before drinking almost as deep as Ran did earlier. The ale went down nice and cool down her throat. “Once again, I am in your debt,” the knight continued while she nursed her cup of ale. “I am ashamed of how often I lose consciousness lately.”

The black-haired woman smirked but spared her an offensive quip. “I wouldn’t say we are even, Sayo-san.”

“Of course we are not even, you and the others have taken care of me--”

“Caring for you will never compare to Tsugumi’s life.” Ran finished her drink and stared at the dying embers. “Thank you, I suppose.”

“I only did what was right at the time.” Sayo responded awkwardly, not expecting such sincerity from a woman who had the devil’s temper and ferocity.

“The others told me about your circumstances and I have decided to help you get back home. Mind you, Allemagne is very far from here and there will be no mad dashes to get you to the border. Moreover, Tsugumi is still recovering and I want to give her all the time she needs to heal. We will not leave her alone again.”

Sayo nodded solemnly as Ran spoke, anxious and hopeful at the same time.

“This means,” Ran went on, “traveling will be slow and we will move only when it is safe. You might have pieced it together by now, but we are outlaws with many rivals. However, even outlaws can have a shred of honor, so I swear you this: We will get you home or at least get you as close as we are able.”

“Thank you,” Sayo dipped her head down in respect. “I have figured being outlaws was the reason you and others were living rough out here. The Red Wolf? Is that what they call your group? I heard one of the guards mention that monicker.”

Ran sipped her cup. “It’s a ridiculous one.”

“Were they referring to Tomoe-san?”

Ran scoffed and smiled ever so slightly. “I wish they were. But, no, I am the Red Wolf who howls forests down or something ludicrous like that. Although, most of the time they think it is Tomoe. I wouldn’t say we’re the most notorious gang around here, but we do have bounties on our heads. Regardless, a debt is a debt.”

Sayo nodded as Ran stood from her seat, “If you get me home, I will make sure that you and the others are rewarded.”

“We don’t need charity, Sayo-san. You’ve given Tsugumi back to us. That’s enough.” Ran’s red eyes stared into hers and she felt the veracity of her words. Sayo never thought she would be so indebted to criminals, yet there was only gratefulness in her heart.

If Rinko and the others were unable to find her, then she will return home using her own efforts and the help of this rag-tag group of women that had found her.

When Sayo returned to Tsugumi's tent, the owner stirred from her sleep and looked utterly surprised to see her up and about. "Sayo-san!" Tsugumi squeaked, as she tried to sit up quickly, only to wince and slowly roll to her side to accomplish the task in a less painful manner. "You're up. How are you feeling?"

Sayo stood there frozen between the desire to help the other woman and the fear that she might hurt her by touching still healing wounds. "I should ask the same thing, Hazawa-san." Sayo sighed and turned to remove her boots.

"It is awkward, isn't it? But how is your fever? I wish you had woken me up."

The concern in her voice was genuine, but Sayo shook her head. "Hazawa-san, I'm feeling better now. The fever has broken and I just went out to have a bite to eat."

"At this hour?"

"Yes, there was still some food in the camp pot."

Tsugumi looked utterly horrified at that. "There should be some food behind the food wagon; some preserves, biscuits, dried fruit, and the like," she deflated, "you really should have woken me up."

A tendril of embarrassment climbed Sayo's back at that. Of course, Tsugumi would know more about the ins and outs of the camp. She was the primary caretaker of the place given what Sayo had heard from the others so far. "I apologize but I did not want to disturb your rest. Surely you're still healing."

"We-well, yes, but at least I could tell you where things are. Tomoe-chan and Himari-chan must still be asleep at this hour." Tsugumi fiddled with the rosary on her lap.

"Ran-san helped me, so you don't have to worry, Hazawa-san."

"Ran-chan?" There was a bit of surprise in Tsugumi's reaction, but the expression quickly changed to a knowing smile. "I suppose she just returned from night watch."

"Do you always post guards at night? Um, do you mind if I sit down on the cot? The hearty snack is making my head feel heavy again."

"Of course!" Tsugumi shifted to allow Sayo a generous amount of personal space and pulled the folded linen she used as a pillow onto her lap. Her movements were still slow but the knight was pleased to see that Tsugumi was able to move more easily despite her wounds. "To answer your question, yes, there is always someone up at night to keep watch. Why do you ask?"

"Ran-san mentioned rival gangs, so I thought I should know."

Outlaw gang territories tended to overlap and having a skirmish against one would not be pleasant, especially in her current state. She thought of the legendary outlaw in Albion called Robin of Sherwood who plagued the nearby towns and shires. They were clever as rats and proved to be as much of a nuisance. She did not know the true extent of gang influence this far inside Gallia, but given the lack of central governance and enforcement of whatever law that still existed, it was easy to guess that the situation was dire.

The knight pitied small villages, which were easy targets for a larger group of desperate and cruel derelicts.

Tsugumi became oddly quiet after that. And when Sayo looked at her over her shoulder, the knight found the brunette’s hands shaking. Her eyes were vacant, as if she was very far away from the tent they occupied, and her face increasingly paled by the minute.

“Hazawa-san?” Sayo worriedly turned to face her and reached for her shoulder. Much to her surprise, Tsugumi jumped and yelped as if she was whipped. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she did her best to move away from the touch. Her mouth opened to say something, to beg, but the words did not come out. Instead, her lips trembled as she shook her head, eyes blank and looking off into the distance.

Troubled, Sayo tried again, “Hazawa-san. Please calm down. You’re safe, please!” Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Left without a choice, the knight cautiously reached out and caught the hand Tsugumi mindlessly threw in front of her in self-defense. “Hazawa-san, please. It’s okay. It’s just me. You’re home!”

Tsugumi whimpered but her eyes slowly regained their focus as she looked at Sayo’s face. Her tears fell then, and Sayo felt a deep pity for her. It dawned on Sayo that, for a very brief moment, Tsugumi was in that cave again where she was hurt to the point of dying and where hopelessness all but snatched away any chances of being saved.

“Sa..yo-san? I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what just came over I--”

“Shh, it’s okay.”

The tent flap flew open just as Tsugumi was wiping away her tears. A quick glance told Sayo that it was Himari. “I heard noises,” the blonde woman looked at Tsugumi and then Sayo and back again. “I thought something has happened. I-- what’s going on? Tsugu, why are you crying?”

Sayo moved away to allow Tsugumi’s friend to tend to her.

“I’m okay, Himari-chan. I just… bad memories suddenly flooded in and it scared me. Thankfully, Sayo-san helped me to snap out of it.” Tsugumi tried to chuckle it away. However, Himari frowned and pulled the brunette into a hug.

“I know you, Tsugu. You can’t hide this from me. Oh, you poor thing.” Comforted in her friend’s embrace, Tsugumi allowed her tears to flow freely. “Don’t shoulder this on your own, okay? You’ve done that before and it’s not good. If one of us is hurt, then all of us are. Remember we’re your family, okay?”

Tsugumi nodded in the embrace and hugged Himari back, “Thank you, Himari-chan. I miss you all so much.”

Now, it was Himari’s turn to sniffle, “Don’t even get started on that! I thought I was going to die of worry! Oh, Tsugu, you have no idea how much we--oh, that doesn’t matter. I’m just glad you’re back.”

Sayo watched this exchange wondering if she should have left the tent. It was a private interaction, occurring during one of Tsugumi’s darkest moments. Thinking that it would be more awkward to leave now, Sayo simply averted her eyes and allowed them space.

Seeing how much Himari loved Tsugumi softened Sayo’s heart, reminding her of how much Lisa cared and coddled them back in Allemagne. The paladin spoiled Ako rotten, which did nothing to control the sorceress’ exuberant personality. She was at Yukina’s beck and call as well, and was always there when Rinko needed a boost of confidence or a fellow magic user to test new spells.

Most of all, Lisa was there to pick up the pieces when Sayo was nothing more than a broken husk of a woman, devoid of pride and self-esteem. She expertly chiseled away Sayo’s walls and reached the tender parts within that needed mending. And over the course of five years, she and the others have made Sayo a new woman, a knight proud to serve. Lisa, Yukina, Rinko, and Ako were the family Sayo chose and she loved them utterly.

It seemed like there was a similar dynamic here, a familial relationship between the five women. Moca remained a mystery to Sayo, but she knew that Tomoe was the sturdy pillar upon which the others depended. Himari seemed to be the emotional mount, who showed and gave love easily. Ran was the guide whom the others looked towards in this rough life they led, while Tsugumi… well, the whole group seemed to be at a loss when she was wrestling with death.

Tsugumi must be the heart of this group.

“Hey, is everything okay in there?” Tomoe poked her head inside the tent several minutes after Tsugumi calmed down. “Why is Tsugu crying? What did Sayo-san do to her?”

Sayo’s hackles rose at the accusation and glared at the redhead. She saw Tomoe grinning at her, belying her jests, which made the knight want to wipe it off her face.

“I’m okay, Tomoe-chan. It’s not Sayo-san’s fault. And, uh, good morning!” Tsugumi smiled at her friend, determined not to make any of them worry. It was remarkable how quickly she recovered. Sayo knew soldiers who experienced terrible things to be incapacitated for hours, reliving their terrors until they passed out from exhaustion. Perhaps seeing her closest friends gave Tsugumi just enough sense of security to bounce back.

That and she was as resilient as spell-forged steel.

Even Tomoe seemed to have melted at that greeting. “Aww, good morning to you too, Tsugu. Think you can come out and eat breakfast with us outside today? I’ll carry you!”

At that, Himari gasped theatrically, “Breakfast! I need to make breakfast!”

“Hehe, Moca is already chopping up stuff for you so you better hurry.”

When Himari left the tent, Tomoe entered and knelt next to Tsugumi with her back facing the injured woman. “Slowly now, wrap your arms around my neck and I’ll hoist you up.”

Blushing, Tsugumi darted a glance at Sayo, “There’s no need for this Tomoe-chan. I think I can walk.”

“Nonsense! Either you climb on now, or I’ll sic Sayo-san at you, and this hound is a stubborn one. She’ll wait all day for you. Your choice.”

“You keep picking on Sayo-san, don’t you?” Tsugumi shifted and did as Tomoe instructed.

“Just a bit. She gets embarrassed really easily.” Tomoe laughed and slowly stood up carrying Tsugumi on her back. “Sayo-san, can you get the flap so I can bring Tsugu outside?”

Though still affronted, Sayo went ahead and held the flap open so they could exit tent. The sun was well on its way up into the sky by then, giving the camp a glow far brighter than she could remember. The firepit was alive again, roaring beneath the newly cleaned iron pot. Inside, some tubers were boiling away with a healthy dose of chard and onions. Himari added a bit of salt into the mix before covering it and running towards the back of the food wagon.

Almost immediately, Sayo could discern the starkly different atmosphere in the camp. Where before there were only gloom and depression, now there was relief and a mood to celebrate. Himari and Moca were by the food wagon, chatting and teasing each other as one sliced salted meat, while the other was kneading and shaping dough that was left to rise the night before.

Upon seeing them, a smile slowly spread across Moca's face. "Tsugu~ good morning~"

"Moca-chan, good morning to you too!"

Tomoe carefully set Tsugumi down on a stool by the firepit, where she would be comfortable and warm.

"Eh~ Hii-chan, I wanna hug Tsugu. Can you do all the rest for me?"

Himari almost agreed but when she noticed the amount of work to be done, she yanked the silver-haired woman back. "Hug her later or else I won't make your bread!"

Moca looked decidedly struck, or at least as shocked as her lethargic expression could be, before sobbing. "See, Tsugu? That's how mean Hii-chan is to me. No bread unless I make it myself~ Moca-chan can't survive like this for long!"

Tomoe laughed raucously at their antics, holding nothing back. Tsugumi, now surrounded by her friends, smiled. She wanted to laugh along with them but she quickly smothered the instinct to avoid aggravating her wounds. She was handed a ladle by Tomoe and was instructed to give the stew a taste once it's done simmering.

"The food just doesn't taste the same when you're not the one making it, Tsugu." Tomoe grinned as she shoveled a bit of the burning charcoal into a small dip just outside the pit.

"That's not true!" Tsugumi exclaimed, enjoying the banter. "Himari-chan cooks just fine."

"Yeah!" The strawberry blonde woman seconded.

"I guess~ but it's not quite Tsugutteru~ Himatteru, yes, but not Tsugutteru!" Moca drawled as she shaped the bread dough into flat discs before passing them one by one to Tomoe, who cooked them directly over the charcoal she had set aside earlier. Soon, the camp was smelling of stew and freshly cooked bread.

Tsugumi shook her head but remained smiling all the same. “Don’t worry, Moca-chan,” she told her friend, “I’ll take over the food preparation as soon as I’m able to.”

“Which won’t be a while, so get used to making bread, Moca.” Tomoe quipped.

“No~”

As the group laughed together, Sayo felt more and more distant. She was an outsider here, and she felt like a voyeur watching them in this joyful scene. Yet, her sense of etiquette prevented her from just turning around to return to the tent.

“Can I help with anything?” The knight asked, thinking it as the right thing to do. Four sets of eyes looked at her as if she was not there from the start and then looked at each other. This only made Sayo shrink into herself a bit.

The camp was silent for a heartbeat before Tsugumi gestured to an empty barrel next to the fire. “Please sit down, Sayo-san,” the brunette said with a voice so clear that Sayo had a hard time associating it with the broken young woman in the cave. “You have not fully recovered yet either. Rest a bit more so you’ll become stronger.”

Tomoe snorted derisively, “Yeah, so you can start doing stuff around here.”

“Can you cook, Sayo-san?” Himari asked.

Moca was not too far behind, “Can you make bread?”

“Do you know how to mend clothing?”

The barrage of questions overwhelmed the confused knight. As a woman who grew up as a member of the nobility and then as a part of the warrior class, Sayo did not have time to learn the more womanly arts of culinary and other domestic affairs. She knew how to wield a sword, shoot a bow, and fight on horseback with a lance, but she was embarrassingly clueless when it came to more practical skills.

Red-faced, Sayo bowed her head and murmured, “No, to all of your questions.”

Tomoe, Himari, and Moca worriedly glanced at each other. They truly did not expect Sayo’s answer. However, ever optimistic Tsugumi clapped her hands together. “It’s not too late to learn, Sayo-san. I can teach you.”

“Oh~” Moca clapped exaggeratedly, “Tsugu is already being Tsugutteru~”

“Moca-chan!”

And that was that. The other three did not even voice a complaint. Instead, they all smiled and readily agreed, confident that Tsugumi could train this castle crawler, steel bucket wearing knight into shape.

“I’ll go get Ran, so we can all eat together~” Moca rinsed her hands of flour and jogged towards her shared tent with Ran.

“Isn’t Ran-chan asleep already?” Tsugumi tilted her head curiously.

“She probably is, but she won’t miss your first day outside for an hour of sleep.” Tomoe smiled softly and served a bowl of stew and freshly grilled bread to Tsugumi. “Ah, cheer up. There’s no place for that frown now, Tsugu. Ran was ready to rip out the whole forest for you. She’d be happy to see you out, smiling and eating with everyone.”

“Thank you, Tomoe-chan.”

“Anytime.” Tomoe filled another bowl and covered it with another piece of grilled bread. She handed it to Sayo, “here you are, milady.”

The knight’s brow twitched but she graciously took the offered food, “Sayo is fine.”

Himari took her turn to serving herself something to eat. “It’s admirable how cool and collected you always seem to be, Sayo-san.”

“I’m not always…”

It was odd being at the center of attention now, simply because she was sitting next to Tsugumi. It was even odder how the whole group was suddenly so willing to learn more about her. Were they being sincere or no, she should not think that. Perhaps everyone was just anxious about what had happened to Tsugumi before that they were all on edge. Sayo could admit that she would probably be the same way if Lisa or Yukina or any of her family group was taken and tortured in such a way.

Maybe, this was how they really were.

“Tsugumi.” Ran joined them with Moca in tow. The black-haired woman immediately approached Tsugumi, touched her on the shoulder, and smiled softly. “I’m glad you’re doing better.”

The brunette beamed up at her in return and gave her hand a squeeze, “Me too. Come, eat with us, Ran-chan.”

“Everyone,” Ran started, her voice loud and clear. “Please listen to me, just for a bit. Tsugumi is back and I am grateful for that. But the truth of the matter is, Tsugumi would not have survived without help, without Sayo-san’s help. And so, I want to repay even just a fraction of the favor she did for us. We will travel, starting next week, towards Allemagne and see Sayo-san safely back to her home country.”

The other three members of the group looked at each other again and smiled.

“Yeah, let’s do it!” Tomoe pumped her fist in agreement.

“Oh my, Allemagne, huh? I’ve never been there!” Himari squealed.

Moca whistled, “It’ll be quite an adventure, Ran~”

“Indeed, it would be. Would that be alright with you, Tsugumi?”

“Ran-chan…” Tsugumi was no doubt surprised with the decision but she wholeheartedly agreed, “Let’s take Sayo-san back to her home.”

“That settles it, Sayo-san.”

Sayo placed her food down and bowed in humility. “Thank you for this favor. Not everyone would just pull up their roots and move just to escort a stranger.”

“We’re hardly settled in one place, Sayo-san.” Tomoe chortled, “We move almost every moon’s turn. But you’re right, we’ve never been outside of Gallia, so this will be new.”

“Are there more Lady Knights like you in Gallia, Sayo-san?” Himari scooted closer just to hear an answer, but Moca cut her off with even more outlandish questions.

Sayo could not answer all of them, despite feeling hopeful for the first time in a long while, but she allowed herself to simply immerse in their interactions, their world. Their friendship was very informal and warm, a sisterhood of five who loved each other, faults and all. Unlike them, her family in Allemagne was part court etiquette and part clandestine girlishness courtesy of Lisa and Rinko.

She glanced at Tsugumi when the others finally allowed her room to breathe, and saw the brunette smiling as she chewed on a piece of bread and sipped a bit of soup. She chuckled abashedly at her friends’ behavior, “They’re always like this, but they’re really good people. Some of the best.”

The knight’s lips curved upward as she cut a big chunk of turnip in her bowl. “I’ll take your word for it, Hazawa-san.”

In spite of Tomoe’s loud mouth, Moca’s mysterious thought processes, Himari’s emotional personality, and Ran’s heavy presence, Sayo supposed this was not so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should apologize for how late this chapter is. Sadly, my day job siphons most of my energy during the day, leaving me little to work with when I finally do get some time to write. Real life is always far more challenging than any fiction written. 
> 
> It did not help that this chapter is rather heavy in dialogue, which is my weakness in writing. I thrive in exposition, narrative, and imagery. However, when you make me sit down and make characters talk, woo boy. I am trying to do better though. 
> 
> About the chapter, this chapter essentially marks the end of Gallia's first arc, which means I may have to switch to Allemagne next time to get that plot moving. I hope you guys don't mind traveling hundreds of miles with me to see what is going on with Yukina, Lisa, Ako and Rinko. It has been a while. 
> 
> Oh, right. I do have one question to you guys. As you may notice, I don't directly respond to comments unless there is a question in it, or something else that requires explanation. The reason I do this is so that the comment count for the story does not inflate. It somehow bothers me to see a story with a million comments, only to find that half of them were from the author. So my question to you guys is, do you mind me not reply directly to you or do you think I should? If you want me to reply directly to you, then I won't mind if the comment numbers increase. 
> 
> Please know that I appreciate all of your feedback, and some of your wonderful comments definitely motivate me to write another chapter. Without your feedback, I feel like I'm writing into the void, which is not a pleasant feeling given how much thought and effort goes into each and every chapter. So, thank you to all of those who commented before. 
> 
> I would appreciate it if you continue to leave your thoughts about the chapters below. Feedback is a writer's bread and butter. Without food, we wither away, so please be kind and feed us.


End file.
